One Piece: Shattered Faith
by HatOnFire
Summary: Post-Strong World. Contains OCs. Has LuNa hints. Rated M for language and violence. After the fight with Shiki, Luffy grows more distant from the crew. Then, a chemist makes Luffy drink a potion that makes him feel negative. Even worse, when he runs away, a special squad of marines captures him! Now, it's up to Nami and the crew to save their captain before he is gone forever!
1. Prologue

**One Piece: Shattered Faith- Prologue**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

G-13 Base, William Henley and Flora © HatOnFire/Me

Read and review, but please be gentle. It's my first fanfic, after all!

* * *

Dark Grey. The entire island is covered by the nighttime atmosphere. The moon isn't coming out due to the gloomy clouds blocking part of the sky.

The only light that can cover this island is the one shining around this marine base. It's got everything one would expect of it.

Peculiarly, the entire base has walls that almost look like a castle. The outer defensive walls look to be about forty feet tall, with some cannons sticking out of the walls. The main building is three times the height of the walls and has G-13 imprinted in the midsection. Next to it is a building half its size, and has multiple barred windows, indicating it as a detention center.

Guards with rifles in arms, patrolling the inside of the base, the outer walls, especially the jungle. Also, the top of the towers has spotlights shining light on the ground moving in a random pattern. No one is getting in or out tonight.

Security is pretty tight, though that's because of the pirate they just recently put in that building.

"He is a real troublemaker, so we must remain vigilant!" The captain of the guard shouted to the group of marines standing in formation.

With collective cries of "SIR, YES SIR!" from the troops, they dutifully returned to their stationed posts and squads.

Inside the ninth floor the detention block, there are a few guards walking around the place, but there are no prisoners in the cells. That is, except one.

His black hair is in slight disarray, his face has a few bruise marks, but relatively minor, and a bandage was on his right cheek. He was wearing a purple vest and blue shorts. He usually has a bright smile, however, he isn't smiling. He currently has a pair of handcuffs clamped to his wrists behind his back.

He is a very well-known individual, but without his straw hat, you could never the difference. He has a name, one that spells out trouble to anyone who crosses his path.

His name is... Monkey D. Luffy. And he looks like he just went through the worst days of his life.

How did all this happen? We have to go back a week or so in time to find the answer...

* * *

**HatOnFire Presents...**

**One Piece: Shattered Faith**

* * *

The last time Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates were heard of, they have recently defeated the notorious pirate, "Golden Lion" Shiki, stopped his plans to destroy the East Blue, and rescued Nami when she joined his crew. Luffy said that he trusted her in the past, but now, he doesn't know what to think of her.

You see, he felt betrayed because of what she said in the tone dial Shiki gave her. She said that the crew would have no chance against him because of how badly they got beaten by him. To Luffy, that means that she doesn't have the same faith he has in her. He decides to fight Shiki again anyway, just to get her back, but he still feels sore over what she did.

The truth was, Nami wanted him and the crew to come back and save her. Luffy wanted to hear the message again, but she didn't want him to out of embarrassment, which led to the tone dial sinking into the sea. He hasn't gotten over that for a few days, but that wasn't enough to completely lose trust in her.

No, how that happens comes a few days after the fight with the Golden Lion Pirates.

XXX

**Three Days Earlier...  
**  
XXX**  
**

It was yet another typical, but boring day out in the Grand Line. The Straw Hat Pirates had escaped a real storm, but that's nothing special. After all, this has been a regular thing since they first entered.

At this moment, the Thousand Sunny was traveling to an island that they spotted. It wasn't the island they were looking for, but this meant more supplies for the crew. Besides, Luffy found its eternal pose on a beach from some random island. He mentioned finding it a few months after he did, which got the poor guy a beating from Nami, saying that he should say stuff like that at the moment, not put it off. It could have been worse, since he only got a black eye, swollen lips, and had to have five bandages cover his cranium. (Wait a second...)

Zoro was weightlifting as usual. He was doing pretty well in spite of the wounds he received from Kuma at Thriller Bark. At the moment, he only had his black pants and shoes on, currently shirtless. His bright red T-shirt was set down next to his three swords. His sweat was flowing down his well-toned, tanned skin and chiseled abs. His notable scar could definitely be seen.

Robin was making occasional glances of him in action while catching up on her books under an umbrella. She was wearing a red lace dress with black spots patterned all over it.

Meanwhile, Franky was at the helm steering their ship to the island. He was wearing a speedo and a unique green tropical shirt, wrenches printed on the shirt in place of the palm tree design.

"Just a few more minutes, everyone, and we'll be there!" Franky shouted.

"Whatever," Zoro mumbled, currently on his 2,483rd lift.

"Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho~!" Brook chortled cheerfully, walking up the stairway to the helm, yearning for a glimpse of the island from the front. He was wearing a navy blue coat with a whitish-gold vest underneath it, and dark blue pants. He also had a blue tricorn hat that fits perfectly around his afro.

"You thinking about something funny, Skeleton-Bro?" Franky asked.

"Not at all, Mr. Franky," the skeleton man replied. "I was merely thinking about how great it is to be aboard this ship."

"Yeah, these guys sure have been through a lot," Franky said. "Heck, we each have been through something..."

Usopp climbed down from the Crow's Nest, wearing a light blue dress shirt and blue pants.

"The island looks nice," the sniper said. "Hopefully, we won't have to run into some vicious wild animals!"

"What? We'll run into some wild animals on the island?" Chopper questioned as he held a fishing pole over the side, quivering at the idea of a giant bear rising up from a bush with red eyes. The doctor's attire consisted of a white dress shirt with a blue tie and his maroon shorts.

"No, no, of course not! I said we wouldn't!" Usopp quickly backpedaled as to not frighten the toddler-sized reindeer.

"Oh, phew! That's good!" Chopper felt relieved. He didn't want to have to dodge animal after animal again, not after that incident a few days ago.

Sanji then came out of the kitchen with a drink on a tray. He was wearing a lavender shirt, a blue tie, and formal black pants.

"Here you go, Robin, I hope this is to your liking~!" Sanji exclaimed, with hearts flying around him as he presented it to Robin.

"Thank you, Sanji," Robin said, removing the glass from the tray and taking a drink from it. "Sparkling water mixed with tangerine juice. Very good work."

"I live to serve as a slave of your everlasting love, Robin~!" Sanji, developing hearts in his eyes, started to swirl around in a tornado, hearts flying in motion. "Love is a hurricane and I'm caught in the storm~!"

"Hmph. With luck, you might get blown over the side and we'll have to carry on without you," Zoro quipped, developing a tick mark on his head.

"What did you say, Moss-head?"

"Are you deaf, Dartboard? You heard me!"

"All right! Knock it off!" Nami shouted from the observation deck. She came up to the railing and glared down on the two. She was wearing a teal shirt that had gold-colored words and numbers saying 'BEING 18', with the berries' symbol replacing the B. She was also wearing silver shorts that fit rather nicely on her.

"Tch. Whatever..." Zoro grumbled. He went and put his shirt on and equipped his swords back on his personage.

"Nami is beautiful, even when she's angry at Zoro!" Sanji continued to swoon, completely forgetting his verbal scuffle with the swordsman.

"She's angry with you too, dude..." Usopp remarked.

"It seems as though we can't have peace for a few seconds when those two argue," Brook mused. "Is that normal?"

"Mm-hmm, it is," Franky responded. "There isn't a cure for that, unless you count bashing their heads together as one."

Brook sweat-dropped. "Not something I'd be proud of doing, but when you put it that way..."

While Franky was steering the ship, he realized something. The past few days have been quiet, but not because they haven't been attacked by marines or pirates, and not because of the rainstorm they went through. It's because his captain has ceased to cause another incident.

"Hey, Bones," Franky asked. "Is it just me, or is Luffy being less... you know, himself?"

"Hmm?" Brook questioned. "I thought being quiet and sitting on the Lion's head was normal for him," he then responded.

Franky had a question mark rising behind him. 'Straw Hat's been quiet and we didn't even notice,' he thought. 'Wonder what's crawling into his skull, assuming he still has something in there.'

A person then came climbing off the figurehead and down the steps to the front deck. He was wearing the usual, a red vest, blue shorts, and a straw hat on his head. It was Luffy.

"So, we're coming up to an island now, huh?" Luffy said with a thoughtful expression.

"Oh, uh, yeah, Straw Hat Bro!" Franky stammered, until he found his heading. "We're getting closer now. Soon we'll disembark!"

"Okay!" Luffy shouted, his cheshire grin suddenly returning to his face. He then went to the grassy deck, getting ready to jump on land.

"Well, he's back to being chipper," Brook said. "Almost like how I was when I was a lad filled with vigor. Though I'm filled with nothing now that I'm all bones! Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho~! Skeleton joke!"

"Yeah, sure..." the cyborg retorted. He was still in thought, wondering how quickly Luffy changed his character at that moment. He decided that something was up.

XXX

Around that time, something was in the jungle, maneuvering from tree to tree. The figure was able to elude the panthers trying to catch him.

He then came to a cliff, where a bright pink flower was blooming and sparkling. The figure was wearing a brown cloak and hood, masking his appearance, but he then removed the hood, revealing himself.

He had red hair, looking similar to a mullet, but with bangs on his front. There were spikes drooping on the front and sides, looking almost like spider legs. His eyes were brown, and he had a scar on his left cheek, looking like a left parenthesis.

He does have a name, and a title to go with it.

WILLIAM HENLEY. Chemical Scientist on the Run.

He knelt down to the flower and took a sniff.

"This is the one," he said. "At long last, the hard part's over."

Henley then pulled out a picture, then looked to the sky. The picture showed him wearing a grey jacket with a cerulean blue shirt underneath, holding hands with a girl, both smiling. She was as short as he is, wearing a magenta shirt with a white daisy flower with a few petals falling, imprinted on it. She had brown hair and green eyes, pretty rare for a person to have.

"Flora," he said. "Hang in there a little longer, my sweet. I'm coming back soon." He smiled softly.

Little did the young man know, that something was going to happen, and he would plague the captain's mind, setting in motion a series of troublesome events...

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

So it begins... The first of many challenges for the crew, particularly two members. One thing's for sure, the journey to One Piece will take a different route unlike any other! Stay tuned!


	2. Ch 1- Exploration

**Chapter 1- Exploration**

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley and Flora © HatOnFire/Me

The Thousand Sunny has docked on the beach-side of the island. The reason for this was to not attract much attention.

"Alright!" Nami shouted, garnering everyone's attention to her. "We have to be cautious here since we're getting closer to the first half of the Red Line. There could be some marines patrolling the island, after all."

"Understood, Ms. Nami," Brook responded. "I'll keep a tight lip, though I don't have one anymore! Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho~!"

Nami groaned at the pun. 'Well, at least he isn't asking me to show _anything_ this time,' she thought.

"By the way, could you please tell me the color of your-"

***SMACK!* **Brook attempted to ask Nami something, only to get kicked from the back of his head by an angry Sanji, of course.

"What is the matter with you, dammit?!" Sanji roared. "Why do you keep asking that question?!"

"Really, Brook," Usopp chimed in. "Give it up, it's never gonna happen."

"But I must try," Brook said, attempting to pick himself up and rubbing the bruise mark made by the cook. "It's a great mystery that constantly plagues my mind!"

"Mystery?" Luffy questioned. "It doesn't sound like a mystery, though. Is it really important?"

"Well, if you think ab-"

***SMACK!* *SMACK!* **Brook attempted to continue, but he got kicked again by Sanji. Unfortunately for Luffy, he too wasn't safe from the lovesick man.

"Don't encourage him, idiot!" Sanji shouted again. "And you, don't even think about following him either! Rubber-brained jackass!"

Nami could only sweat-drop at the scene that unfolded before her. She then cleared her throat to get back everyone's attention.

*AHEM!* "Anyway, as I was saying," she spoke again. "We have to keep a low profile, so I think it's best if we stay in small groups and alternate going into town at different times."

"But Big Sis," Franky interjected. "We already have more than enough supplies to last us three weeks. We don't need to get any more than we already have."

"That's true, Franky," Robin responded. "However, considering that anything can happen in the Grand Line, maybe it would be best to pick up some extra accessories, in case of an emergency."

"Oh yeah," the cyborg sheepishly grinned.

"Well, I could use some more weights," Zoro said.

"Maybe I can buy an extra barrel of gunpowder," Usopp muttered to himself. "Or two. Maybe even three."

"I could buy some more ingredients," Sanji thought.

"Remember Chopper," Zoro says, "When the Dartboard says ingredients, he means rat poison that he can put in our food. Whatever you do, beware of his hazardous cuisine."

"Okay, I'll be careful," Chopper replied.

"What do you think you're doing, Moss-head?!" Sanji yelled, and boy, did something get under his skin.

"Just trying to keep him from becoming the emergency food supply, Pirate A!" Zoro snapped back.

"Are you still on THAT?! I have a bounty too, jackass!"

"Oh right, I almost forgot about that poster with your 'real' face on it," the swordsman then sneered.

"THAT IS NOT MY REAL FACE! IT IS NOT ME!" It was in this moment where fire started enveloping Sanji and fused with his very being. He was ready to fight Zoro again, but before the two could exchange blows...

***BAM!* **Both of their head got bashed in together by Nami, clearly tired of their quarreling. She took a deep breath until Luffy spoke up, after having a bandage put on his swelling bump.

"Not that I care or anything, but who's going to town first?" He asked.

"I think me and Robin will go first," Nami responded. "There's no way that you guys can avoid trouble for ten seconds."

"In their defense," Robin spoke up. "Trouble always manages to find them as well as us."

"Thank you, Robin," Usopp said, then grinned. "You can't really blame us for having targets on our backs. I mean, with what happened with Shiki, there's no chance for us to avoid trouble here."

Luffy's face then turned blue. He walked over to the railing and saw the jungle in front of him.

'Shiki,' he thought, glaring into emptiness.

"Yeah!" Chopper smiled. "Looking back, the place was frightening, Luffy knocking Shiki down was so awesome!"

"Chopper, could you do me a favor and never talk about him again?"

The reindeer looked behind him to see who said that. It was Luffy, with his hat masking his eyes, though anyone could tell he was anything but happy.

"Huh?" Chopper questioned.

"Just don't. I don't ever want to hear that name again."

"Umm... Okay."

The crew was silent. That adventure must have taken its toll on the captain. How could it not?

"Well," Nami broke the silence, making that all too familiar smile. "No point thinking about anything trivial."

This made Zoro frown. 'How does telling Luffy that you believed in him despite getting wrecked by Shiki count as trivial?' He thought to himself. 'When she gets back from her trip, I'll give it to her straight, that halfhearted woman.' He knows that she's grateful to Luffy for saving her, even though what she said on that tone dial hurt his feelings. Why won't she admit it?

"Shall we go then, Ms. Navigator?" Robin asked, referring back to her title.

"Sure, but one more thing," the navigator responded back, turning to the guys. "If you want to check out the jungle, that's fine, but get back to the ship if you see anyone with a blue anchor on their shirts, got it?"

"Okay, so we don't fight the marines if we find them here, right?" Franky questioned. "It's a bummer, but you ain't wrong about this. We can't have anybody stumbling onto our ship after what we've been through."

"Don't worry," Usopp said. "We'll be careful. Nothing in that place is gonna bother us. Not as long as 'The Great Captain Usopp' is here to protect you!"

"I feel safe," Brook snidely remarked.

"Well then, Usopp," Sanji smiled. "I can count on you to give Zoro and Luffy their baby bottles in case something scares the crap out of them."

"SCREW YOU, CURLY-BROW!" Luffy and Zoro shouted angrily.

The crew became surprised afterward. They expected Zoro to insult Sanji with that name, but Luffy too? When did he develop a temper? Besides that, Zoro looked more perplexed than the others over this. It felt like a minute passed since that double outburst until Luffy sheepishly spoke.

"This is awkward," he said. It didn't take long, but the captain put on a grin as he climbed on the railing. Then, he jumped off and landed into the sand. He ran across the beach, until he stopped, looked back to the ship, and shouted back to his crew.

"Usopp! Chopper! Brook!" He yelled. "You guys want to tag along?!"

The three he called out did a double-take when they realized Luffy was asking for them. They immediately went up to the railing and prepared to jump. After all, they didn't want to make him angry.

"We're coming!" Usopp and Chopper both cried. They both jumped off the railing as well and landed on the beach. Well, Chopper landed on his feet, while Usopp face-planted into the sand.

"So am I!" Brook yelled. "High time I stretch these bones!" He then jumped high into the air and landed on his feet.

"Hey, Luffy!" Nami shouted. "Make sure you get back before it gets dark! I'm not going in that place to find you if you get lost!"

"Don't sweat it!" He responded. "We might get back before you do!"

Nami made a smirk. 'That'll be the day,' she thought. 'The day that idiot gets here before me is the day all hell breaks loose.' Franky set up the gangplanks for the girls to walk down.

"I guess this means we stay here and guard the ship," Zoro said.

"We won't be gone long," Robin said as she and Nami walked down the planks.

"See you later, my sweet beauties~!" Sanji swooned yet again, hearts flying.

Luffy then lifted up his hat to reveal a pair of sparkling eyes.

"Okay~! I'll see you soon~!" he shouted, sounding like a girl just to piss off Sanji. It worked and managed to earn some laughs from the others.

"THAT'S NOT FUNNY, RUBBER ASS! I WAS TALKING TO MY LADIES!" That only made everyone laugh harder, especially the women.

"Oh Wow!" Nami laughed. "He actually went there!"

"Nice one, 'Luffyko'!" Usopp laughed, with tears in his eyes.

"Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi!" Luffy just beamed. 'Maybe this day won't be such a drag after all,' he thought.

"See you guys later!" He shouted to everyone, as he, Usopp, Chopper, and Brook went into the jungle, oblivious to what they will find. 

XXX

"Look! A golden beetle!"

Usopp pointed in the group's general direction, specifically a tree in front of them. Clinging to the tree, there was a golden Hercules beetle. The bug then flew off into another part of the jungle. The Childish Quartet admired the flying beetle, then moved on.

"There are great sights to behold here!" Brook exclaimed. "But I don't have eyes, so I can't behold them! Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho~!"

"Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho!" Chopper chortled, laughing and grinning.

"Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi!" Luffy laughed. Then, he had a thought. "Ooh-Ooh! Maybe we'll get to see some animals here too! I'm hoping to see some lions!"

"ACK!" Usopp cried. "Luffy, please don't say that! I don't wanna be lion food!"

"I thought you would protect us, Mr. Usopp," Brook remarked, quoting what the sniper said before entering the jungle.

"W-W-Well, y-y-ye-yeah!" Usopp stammered. "I did say something like that." He nervously chuckled as he said that.

"Maybe Sanji mixed up who he thought needed a baby bottle," Luffy joked.

"Come on, Luffy," Usopp said with comical tears. "You're really hurting my ego here."

Something was moving behind them, however. They took to the trees to avoid detection.

"Mr. Luffy," Brook asked. "You have never been more quick-witted until today. Did something happen?"

"No," Luffy simply said. "I'm the same as I was. Why?"

"Just asking. I thought you've changed since the incident with Roger's rival."

"Huh? Uhh... Who?"

"You know, that man you fought. Shi-"

"Brook!" Chopper yelled. He then switched to Heavy Point to try and whisper into Brook's ear. His bone ear, since he doesn't have an ear. (Skull Joke!)

"What did you want to say, Mr. Chopper?" The skeleton lowered himself so Chopper could whisper to him.

"You shouldn't talk about Shiki around Luffy anymore," he whispered.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to hear any mention of him," Luffy said, clearly tired of repeating himself.

"I'm sorry," Brook said softly, frowning.

"It's alright, Brook," the captain spoke again. "I'm just sick of him, especially after what he did. I hate him."

Of course he was sick of this. He even dreamed of his fight against the 'Flying Pirate.' Long story short, Shiki takes Nami, which leads to Luffy defeating him, and then falling into a void. It's been like this for a few days now, and he hated every moment of it.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Usopp asked, concerned for the captain.

"What's there to talk about? He's down. He won't come after us again. It's over."

"Captain," Brook interjected with interest. "There are many memories, such as fights, which can stay with you for a lifetime. I think it would be best-"

"WHO GIVES A DAMN WHAT YOU THINK?!"

The group was shocked by the captain's outburst. Brook was sweating, fearing for his 'second' life. Usopp was so surprised, he could barely speak. In fact, he couldn't speak. As for the youngest, Chopper, he looked like he was about to cry. He knew Luffy would have a temper around people who annoyed him, but never thought he would be on the other end. It took only a sniffle from him for Luffy to realize his mistake.

"Chopper, guys," Luffy solemnly began to apologize. "I'm really sorry. I just... I don't want to talk about this anymore. I'm getting torn apart just thinking about it."

"*Sniffle* Luffy," Chopper's eyes were starting to well up. Luffy quickly picked up the toddler-sized reindeer and hugged him close.

"We're sorry too, Luffy," Usopp spoke up. "We only wanted to help you."

"I know," the captain said. "I just want this to end already."

***GROWL* **A sound came from around the whole group.

"Luffy, please tell me that was your stomach," Usopp whispered, starting to grow fearful.

"Nope, it wasn't."

"Is it a predator?" Brook spoke, suddenly regretting going into the jungle.

At that moment, several black blurs appeared from the treetops, hopping down from branch to branch, until reaching ground level. They were black panthers, vicious ones, at that. If one had time, the group could notice that they would look to be as tall as Brook, maybe taller. An odd thing about them is that they all have quills on their backs. These animals were simply called:

PANTHERPINES.  
(A/N: Panthers with porcupine quills. Lazy title, but gets the point across, no pun intended.)

They started to display their fangs, saliva dripping from their tongues as they licked their chops.

"I think there is more than one!" Chopper exclaimed, quickly getting over his crying fit, now completely worried.

"What gave it away?!" Usopp screeched, looking like he was ready to soil himself out of fear.

"Wow! So cool!" Luffy shouted. He looked at the beasts with stars in his eyes. Until the panthers turned around and fired their quills at the group.

"EEP!" The cowardly sniper squeaked. "This is it, we're all dead. We survived up to this point, but we're all dead!"

"No! I don't wanna die!" Chopper cried out.

"I can't die!" Brook exclaimed. "Besides, I'm already dead! What good will dying again do?"

"Usopp! Chopper! Brook! Get behind me!" Luffy commanded. The three did just that, quickly too. Luffy counted the panthers. There looked to be seven of them, or nine, or twenty. He just realized that he isn't so good at numbers, but now wasn't the best time to worry about that!

"Guys," the Straw Hat softly, "As soon as I have their attention, run like hell. I'll hold them off as long as I can."

"Huh?!" the group replied.

"But, Mr. Luffy...!" Brook attempted to speak against this, but...

"Brook!" Luffy seethed, jerking his head back behind him. "Take Usopp and Chopper with you and run back to the ship! Protect each other in whatever way you can! Captain's orders!"

The gentleman became silent. 'Captain's orders'. It wasn't the first time he heard that phrase, let alone use them. He knew that the moment the captain spoke those commanding words, the decision was final. Luffy then cracked a surefire grin to his group.

"Don't worry, I won't die. Not as long as I have a dream and people to go back to."

In this moment, Brook felt his worries slip off his shoulders. He became certain that his new captain would get through this.

"Alright," he said. I'll do that. I'll come back with Zoro and Sanji, they can help."

"Who knows?" The captain answered back. "Maybe there won't be anything left of these guys to fight when you show up!"

With that, Brook darted off in a direction, with Usopp running behind. Chopper switched to Walk Point, got into a sprinting stance, but looked back to Luffy.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Luffy."

And just like that, the reindeer took off like a shot from a cannon. The pantherpines attempted to give chase, but Luffy made sure some of those spiny hairballs wouldn't go anywhere.

"Gum-Gum Whip!" Luffy twirled on his right leg as his left stretched out, letting his foot strike one of the big cats across the face. This was able to knock him off his feet and send him crashing into some of his group, but more were on the way. A cluster of them attempted to rush the kid and maul him, but...

"Gum-Gum Gatling!" Luffy then launched his fists at a rapid rate, jamming them into their faces snarling faces.

While that worked, a few of the panthers were able to circumvent the captain and ran out into the jungle, possibly after the ones who ran away.

'Crap!' the captain cursed in his head. 'I can't play around with these guys! I have to take them down now!" While thinking, he jumped back as one of the felines pounced to slash him and missed. Then, on his left, two of them have turned around and launched some of their quills in his direction. He dodged, but one of them hit his right side. As expected, he seethed at the pain as he pulled it out.

"This is why I hate needles," he said. It was like that one time Nami poked him in the eye with one, on the day they first met, no doubt. 'Why am I thinking about something that happened, like, years ago?' He didn't know why, but before he could ponder further...

***HISS!*** The pantherpines fired their quills again, and Luffy jumped and rolled, all without a single spine puncturing his skin this time.

"Gum-Gum...!" Luffy stretched his arm forward, looking like he was going to hit a panther, and then...

"PISTOL SHOTGUN!" He grabbed his extending arm, and twanged it like a guitar string, allowing his fist to strike the big cats multiple times. Three of them came from the heavens and surrounded Luffy. They should have known they were no match for him.

"Gum-Gum Stamp! Gum-Gum Pistol! Gum-Gum Battle Axe!" First came a foot, then it was a fist, then it was the heel of the other foot, and the three challengers simply fell to the ground. He ran to a random direction, thinking it was the way back to the ship.

"Brook probably led Usopp and Chopper back to the ship already, so I should finish up here and go!" He not only didn't know where he was going, but he had some company too, as he was being stalked by the big spiny cats. "Can't you just leave me alone?!" He shouted. He sent a fist at one of them, knocking him off his feet.

Luffy looked behind him as he was running. There were four left. Not a problem. 

XXX 

A murky green liquid was poured into a test tube.

"Almost done," Henley said. "The perfect cure that will save you, Flora." He looked to a strange device, which looked like a pocket watch. The long hand is pointing to ten, but the shorter one is on the three. There is also a small circle replacing the six, with an arrow pointing to the circle and writing saying; 'daily ailments remaining'. The needle was pointing to the three.

"Thirty left for her to use 'til the worst comes," He said. "Not much time, but I can make the cure the minute before death. No pressure." He slightly chuckled after saying that, like he faced slim odds before. But the truth was, he was unsure of whether he can beat the clock and get back to this person he is risking his life for. And that thought scared him worse than the hell he was subjugated to over the years. And he worked hard to face his fears, or rather, BECOME the fear.

And now, he will do anything to accomplish his mission here. Even if he has to put anyone in the worst scenario he can conjure and bring to fruition.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	3. Ch 2- Rumble In the Jungle

**Chapter 2- Rumble In The Jungle  
**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

At the Sunny, only Zoro, Sanji, and Franky were waiting around, and on guard. There was nothing special going on, not counting the usual fights Zoro and Sanji were having.

But as far as Franky was concerned, it was just another stop at an island in the Grand Line. All they have to do is leave when they get a new Log Pose that points to the next island. Only this time, it depends on the reaction of the pose leading to Fish-Man Island.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY, CRAP COOK?!"

'Assuming we're even going to get there at the rate those two are yelling,' the shipwright thought to himself. 'Maybe I should've gone with my other bros.'

XXX

Meanwhile, in the jungle...

"Ahhhhhhh!" Usopp shouted as he, Chopper, and Brook ran for dear life with six pantherpines hunting them. They wanted to dine on a human instead of animals this time.

"They're still on us!" Chopper cried as he continued to scamper at the quickest rate his legs are taking him. When it comes to running, he and Brook excel, though only in Walk Point in the former's case, and in the latter's case, he is very light with no skin or muscle on him. As for Usopp, he is having trouble keeping up and is beginning to grow tired from the chase.

"Mr. Chopper!" Brook shouted to his fellow man, or in this case, reindeer. "Mr. Usopp's failing to keep up!"

"I can see that!" Chopper exclaimed. "What'll we do?!"

"We have to go back for him and fight those huge cats!"

"Are you crazy?! They'll tear us apart!"

Suddenly, Usopp tripped over a loose branch and fell onto the grass beneath him.

"HELP!" Usopp cried out as he struggled to get back up, with the panthers just feet away from lunging at him.

Brook was the first to react, turning around and dashing back from the opposite direction. While running, he drew his sword hidden away inside his cane. At that moment, he decided he was going to stand his ground for his friends.

'The captain gave me the responsibility to protect them,' he thought. 'And I don't intend to go back on my word now! I swore not to leave anyone behind ever again, and I WON'T!'

He leaped high in the air, jumping over a large tree root and landing on his feet, darting forward again until the Usopp and the snarling panther were in his sights, despite having no eyes. The panther pounced, intending to strike, but...

"Gavotte Bond en Avant!" Brook charged forward, his sword extending, managed to knock the panther backward, leaving a hole in its jugular. "I hate to do this to an animal of the hunt, but I can't allow my friend to die on my watch!"

"Brook!" Usopp shouted. "Thanks! Wait, there's more!"

As quickly as he shouted, he pointed some more coming their way. One of them managed to get behind the two and poised their quills to attack the two from behind.

"Don't even try it!" Chopper shouted as he switched into Heavy Point and slammed his fists on the other panther's skull.

"Great work, Chopper!" Brook cheered, before turning his attention to the remaining panthers. "Now let us resume with this fight!"

"Well, good luck to you guys!" Usopp shouted, climbing up a tree during the action. "Let me know how it all goes!"

"WHAT?!" Chopper and Brook exclaimed in shock. "COME BACK HERE, DAMMIT!"

The pantherpines all sweat-dropped at the scene unfolding before them. Most of their group got beaten up, and these people are arguing right now? 'Let's just shoot them all with our quills and hope they die, the noisy bunch,' is what they would say if they could speak, but since they couldn't, they'll just shoot. They all got into shooting positions, but Usopp was quick to notice.

"Guys, look out!" Usopp quickly got out his Kabuto and prepped to fire. "You cats love you quills, don't ya?! Well, here's some of my own! Brook! Chopper! Get behind a tree!" The two quickly did as they were told, and hid behind a nearby tree. Next, the sniper loaded a green pellet in the slingshot and launched it out at his targets.

"Blasting Cactus Star!" The pellet exploded on impact with the ground, and the panther was covered in several small quills. They were greatly agitated as a result, and they quickly fled. All but one, that is. "Chopper, hold that one down and keep its mouth open!"

"What?!" Chopper questioned. "There's no way I can hold down a panther twice my size!"

"Come on! It's not that tall!"

"You say that because you're up in the tree! You hold it down!"

"I can't! I promise you I can do much better good here than down there! Do it!"

"Grr! Fine!" Chopper complied in the end. He rushed to the pantherpine and grabbed it by the scruff of his neck, but this cat was not going to bow down to a smaller animal that can turn into a man. The two struggled, but Chopper was able to put him in a headlock. During this time, Usopp climbed down the tree to have a better shot.

"Here we go! Special Tabasco Star!" Usopp shouted, firing a pellet in the big cat's mouth. Chopper let go and ran off in Walk Point. The panther started to feel incredibly hot and comedically shot a stream of fire from its mouth. Still burning, the cat was forced to run away to the jungle.

"Yes!" Usopp cheered. "That'll teach you to mess with 'The Great Captain Usopp' and his loyal followers!"

"Good work, Mr. Usopp," Brook said. "Now we just have to get a search party to look for our 'true' captain."

"Yeah!" Chopper chirped. "Let's get back to the Sunny and find Luffy!" The two then went back onto the path they were on, which surely led back to the Sunny.

"Hey!" Usopp shouted. "Guys! Don't leave me! I have this I-Can't-Be-Left-Alone-Or-Else-I'll-Die-Syndrome! Guys! Wait!" Usopp then ran like the wind, hoping to catch up with the rest.

XXX

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the jungle...

***HISS!* **The pantherpines continued to chase Luffy through the basin but were having difficulty trying to catch the rubber-man.

"Gum-Gum Rocket!" Luffy grabbed a branch and propelled himself into the air, soaring and escaping the onslaught hunting him. He kept on going, using his arms to swing from tree to tree.

However, that isn't stopping the panthers from chasing him around. They've locked on to his scent, and aren't willing to give up their prey now.

Luffy continued to swing high until he grabbed a broken branch, causing him to hit the ground. Luckily, he wasn't hurt from the impact, thanks in part to being rubber. However, he found himself surrounded yet again.

'At least the guys are safe from harm now,' he thought. 'Now we can end this!'

A pantherpine snuck up on Luffy, but he knew what was coming. Twisting his arms together, he shot his arms out and grabbed the panther, catching it off guard.

"Gum-Gum Hammer!" Luffy then untwisted his arms and sent his captive to the ground, knocking it unconscious. He attempted to knock down another.

"Gun-Gum Pistol!" The captain then shot his fist a panther's face, but that got him agitated.

"Oops." Luffy sweat-dropped.

The Panther jumped on Luffy, successfully pinning him to the ground. Then, the cat tried to bite his head off, but Luffy kept holding him off, struggling to escape his situation.

"Get off of me!" He commanded. But the panther refused to budge. "Fine, I warned you!" Luffy slid further under the cat, narrowly missing his jaw.

"Gum-Gum Volcano!" He put his foot upward and sent it up the cat's gullet, sending him flying up in the air. He would come back down on another one. Only one remaining.

"And here I thought cats land on their feet!" Luffy taunted. "Guess that doesn't apply to spiny ones!"

That got the last one riled up really good. He charged at Luffy and hit him with a headbutt that knocked him out of the jungle and to a cliff. Luffy was able to pull himself up from the impact and ran back to clash with the panther.

XXX

Henley was almost done here. He had his goggles and gloves, and he had the flask over a fire he made. There was some bubbling, and the green liquid overflowed and put out the fire in an instant. Next, he pulled a test tube from a bag strapped around his body. Carefully now, he poured what was in the flask into the test tube until it was about three-quarters full. He dumped the rest of the flask's contents in a cup. Despite his hard work, he felt something was amiss.

"The color looks murky," Henley spoke his thoughts. "I think this needs a natural sweetener. Maybe a fruit with an abundance of nutritious juice? Can't use an apple, done that already." He pondered as he slowly put the flask in the bag and got out a small cap for the tube. Then, he looked to the trees and stared blankly, oblivious to the action that was happening next to him.

"I've got it!" Henley shouted with joy on his face. "That's the last thing I need! I'm getting closer now! Just one more!" He held out the test tube to the high heavens. He believed that nothing can stop him now. Until...

Luffy continued to struggle to stay on top of the pantherpine. No such luck. He got knocked off and was smacked by a paw, stumbling backward. Then, the panther turned around shot his quills at Luffy. He dodged with relative ease, the quills missing again. But one of the stray quills kept going. It then went into Henley's left hand, giving him a real shooting pain. That caused him to drop the tube, but luckily, he caught it with his other hand.

"*Phew!* That was a close one!" Henley quipped. Next, he used his mouth to remove the large needle in his hand. He's lucky that it didn't go completely in his hand, it would have been disastrous. He then put the cap that was in his right hand and put it over the nozzle.

"Gum-Gum Rifle!" Luffy spun his right arm around and charged the panther, quickly untwisting his arm, and landing the decisive blow. The panther was knocked down, but got back up, though not without effort. He growled at Luffy and retreated into the jungle.

"Yeah! Suck it, Cats! Who's the king of the jungle now! WHOO!"

Luffy's shouting got Henley's attention, though not for the better. The redhead calmly put the tube in the bag and put it around him. Next, he walked toward the Straw Hat boy, and punched him in the jaw, wearing a wrathful look as he made the blow. That hit was enough to send him into a tree, knocking it down behind him.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU ALMOST DID?!" Henley shouted, looking irate.

"What was THAT?!" Luffy got up from that, but he looked really pissed, for lack of a better word. "What was that for?!"

"You should know!" Henley shouted back, "You're the one who let the panther attack me!"

"I didn't do anything! I just dodged!"

"So? You let him strike me! ...Wait. You look familiar..."

"Hm?" Luffy questioned.

"Hey, now I remember!" Henley exclaimed, coming to a realization. "You're 'Straw Hat' Luffy! Man, how did I miss that?"

"You know me?"

"Who wouldn't? You took down Enies Lobby with your crew, a train, and a group of men! You defeated Crocodile of the Seven Warlords! You also defeated Arlong in the East Blue, and defeated Shiki, the rival of Gold Roger, the first Pirate King!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on a second. First off, how do you know this stuff?"

"The papers, of course!" Henley beamed, "News kind of travels fast! I should also thank you for beating up Arlong."

"You knew him?" Luffy questioned. His stomach turned at hearing the names of some of his greatest enemies, though it was justified.

"Unfortunately, yes," The mystery kid answered honestly, "I never did like the guy."

"Me either," Luffy muttered.

"Anyway, now that I know who you are," Henley said, turning stone cold. "I know what to expect from you when we fight."

"Wait, what?"

"Did you think I would let my guard down around a well-known pirate?" He asked, rhetorically. A small, creepy grin was plastered on his face. "What kind of a fool do you take me for?"

"Hold on a second!" Luffy yelled. "I think we got off the wrong foot here!"

"Hardly. Now that you've seen me, you'll try to kill me and take my stuff, as all the other pirates and marines have done!"

"Kill you? Why? I don't even know you. We don't have to do this."

"Yeah, yeah, 'Just give me what I want and you'll live,' yak, yak. I've heard it all before! You people are all the same, where ever I go! You don't care that I'm trying to save someone's life here, you're only interested in yourselves! So, 'Who gives a damn if someone's trying to pay for food for their family? I'll be rich!' or 'If some girlfriend is dying from an illness, whatever! More free stuff for me!' Money's all you're here for, isn't it? ISN'T IT?!"

"W-Wait!" Luffy exclaimed, trying to calm down the mystery person here.

"Enough of this crap!" Henley shouted, shutting Luffy up. "People nowadays are just getting a kick from screwing with my life! My reality! My outlook! You're no different, Straw Hat! But I'm not going to be the victim here!" He then put his hood on, surrendering most of his skull to the shadows. "I will fight for my loved ones' survival, no matter who I have to go up against! A marine! A pirate! A sorry, apathetic human being! Even you! LET'S GO!"

"Great, now this day's gonna get worst..." Luffy mused as the redhead charged straight at him.

XXX

Nami and Robin were walking down a populated street, carrying bags filled with many kinds of clothes they bought. Some of them a little more revealing than the last.

"Impressive," Robin said while putting on some sunglasses, "You've managed to pilfer four shopping sections while saving about four hundred thousand berries."

"That's just how I roll," Nami beamed. She looked inside the bag, one of the articles of clothing included a purple and green striped sleeveless tank top and an orange skirt, among other things. "I'm a little surprised, though."

"About what?" Robin asked. "Does it have to do with the wooden barrier we passed a while ago?"

"Yeah. What's up with that?"

"I've heard from some locals about that barrier. It's meant to keep some of the predators of this island away from here. The specially colored moss acts as the repellent."

"Repellent?" Nami questioned yet again.

"Yes," Robin responded. "They have very sensitive noses used to track their prey, so someone came up with the idea to block them out. That's where the moss comes in. It's been modified with a scent only animals can smell, and they will be forced to retreat if they inhale a certain amount."

"Oh, so that's what the moss is for. And here I thought the people of this island had a poor taste of decor or something."

"Perhaps it's a good thing we didn't bring Chopper along with us."

"Yeah, the poor guy wouldn't be able to take it in here," Nami laughed. She then stopped suddenly in shock and gasped, coming to a realization.

"What is it, Nami?" Robin asked.

"Did... you say there were predators on this island?"

"Yes."

"Oh no. And Luffy took some of the guys into the jungle."

"I wonder if they got mauled and eaten by the pantherpines of the jungle..." Robin mused to herself, in a discernible morbid fashion.

"Ugh, Great!" Nami yelled. "They got in trouble! Again!"

"Well, they never intended to get in trouble, so you can't blame them this time."

"I know, but every time he gets in trouble, it always comes back to hurt us! Makes me want to pummel him sometimes!"

"Isn't it _every_ time?" the archaeologist remarked.

"Huh?"

"Nami, he's obviously been through so much. What happened a few days ago, was no different. He hasn't had the chance to recover." Robin brought up a good point.

"What's your point?" Nami asked. "What are you saying I should do?"

"You could be less harsh on him, for one thing," Robin went on. "You two already haven't been on speaking terms ever since a 'certain dial' went into the ocean."

"HUH?!" Nami quickly blushed. "You're still on that?!"

"And holding it against you," Robin stated, visibly annoyed. "He hasn't been acting his usual self, you know." Robin then sighed, and walked on, forcing Nami to catch up with her, discarding her blush at that moment.

"Robin, wait!" Nami shouted, matching her walking pace. "I thought he would get over it!"

"In three days? It took him longer to get over what happened at Water 7 with Usopp, and he did some degree of damage to his spirit. I honestly don't think he ever forgave Franky for what he did to Usopp."

"Well, he may not be over it now," Nami mused. "But he will someday! Come next week or so, and that'll be a bad memory for him. But that's not important now! Let's get back to the Sunny and conduct a search party for him."

The two approached the gate as it opened up, showing a scenery of green. As they walked to the shoreline, taking the path to the ship, Robin continued to think.

'I fear that it already is a bad memory, and it has taken root inside his mind.'

XXX

"Hah!" Henley grunted, throwing punch after punch, and kick after kick. So far, he hasn't been able to land a hit on Luffy.

Luffy was able to jump back and avoid the flurry of hits, but just then, his opponent was gone. Disappeared into the air.

'Huh,' Luffy thought. 'I feel like I've seen this move before...' Luffy looked around him. No one was in sight. He walked into the bushes, remaining cautious.

This approach didn't last long, however. He turned around to see a brown-clothed blur appear in the air like an apparition, and strike him across his face.

"Tempest Kick Flail!" Henley sent his right, barefoot into Luffy's cheek, catching him off guard. He appeared again, landing another blow.

"Tempest Kick Ranseur!" This time, while in midair, he jabbed his foot in Luffy's chest, knocking him into a tree, and that made the tree fall over.

"Ugh!" Luffy grunted in pain, clutching his chest and attempted to breathe. "You really are tough! How'd you know some of those moves of yours?"

"A great marine taught me some of these!" Henley shouted with pride. "I just made them as non-lethal as I could!"

"So you won't kill anybody, huh?"

"Of course I wouldn't! I was raised better than that! Only cowards kill! Like pirates such as YOU!" Henley charged once again, spinning forward like a ball, with a leg sticking out.

"Tempest Kick War Hammer!" Luffy dodged to the side before the raging boy's heel slammed onto him. All it managed to do is make a hole in the ground. Luffy couldn't keep dodging forever. He has to attack sooner or later, and right now would be good.

"I hate to do this, but..." Luffy said as he stretched his arm out to grab Henley, but Henley disappeared before his eyes again.

Luffy looked around, wondering where he went. Something landed right next to him, and it was ticking. When he realized what it was, he attempted to run, but the ticking stopped, and a screeching noise erupted from the device. Luffy was forced to cover his ears from the rupturing sound, but his enemy came right at him again.

"Tempest Kick War Wolf Trebuchet!" Henley leaped forward, performed a quick somersault, and extended both of his legs, letting his feet strike Luffy square in the face, pushing him back some more.

"Come on!" Henley yelled. "Is your bounty really just for show, or are you just scared of losing?"

Luffy took a second to get back up, but he heard what Henley said, and responded back.

"I'm not scared!" Luffy shouted. "I just don't think this battle is worth fighting. Besides, you haven't done anything to me yet!"

"But you have!" Henley continued to yell, "You let that panther loose against me! If he killed me, someone else would have died!"

"Someone else? Who?"

"What do you care? You'll just take advantage of them, like a typical pirate of today!" Henley jumped into the air again, but this time was different. He looked like he was kicking the air with his feet, and started to travel at a great distance away from Luffy.

Luffy would be impressed, if not for what he just said. 'Like a typical pirate,' those words echoed across his mind. His venomous choices when throwing the word 'pirate' around, they sounded similar. It's almost like he heard them somewhere before. He did, but he couldn't ponder now.

"Wait!" Luffy shouted, shooting one of his arms to a branch to swing. He gained momentum each time he went from one tree to the next and somehow managed to keep up with him.

"Listen!" The straw hat boy shouted again, continuing to swing. "I'm not out to get you! I don't even know you!"

"But you're a pirate!" Henley responded. "Pirates don't need to know someone just to rob or kill them!"

"But I'm not like them!"

"Really? Who's ever heard of a pirate that doesn't kill anyone? That sounds absurd!"

"Ab-what? Whatever, man, just listen! I'm telling the truth!"

"Please! The minute I let my guard down, you'll take the chance to attack me!"

The two continued to go back and forth with their arguing, they didn't notice that they were at the end of the jungle. When Luffy attempted to swing again, he didn't know that there weren't any trees left to swing onto and fell on the sand.

Henley laughed when that happened, but he failed to notice he was dashing, still in the air, into the side of the Thousand Sunny, slamming against it hard.

"What the hell was that?!" Franky shouted, climbing up from the trapdoor in the grassy deck.

"Hey, Franky!" Luffy shouted.

"STRAW HAT, WHAT DID YOU DO THIS TIME?!" Franky shouted, running to the railing with comical shark teeth.

"I didn't do anything!" He shouted, stretching his arm to the guy that ran into the ship and grabbing him. He then pulled him close, grabbing him by his chest. As he did that, Henley's hood collapsed, revealing his face. "He's the one that ran into the Sunny!"

"What's going on out there?" Zoro asked as he and Sanji came up to the railing.

"Look, buddy," Luffy said, "I don't know what you have against pirates, but I don't care. I am not, repeat, NOT out to get you!"

"Even if you're being honest," Henley retorted, "That doesn't make me sleep any better. It's always the same with everyone I meet, from here, to the start of the Grand Line, and to the start of the New World. There isn't a place for a freak like me to stay without getting shot at by others."

"I think I get what you're saying," Luffy responded. "I don't think I can get to any place without causing trouble for anyone."

"Hmm?" Henley questioned. "Well, just because you get into something you're not supposed to, that doesn't mean your friends get caught in the middle, right?"

"..." Luffy didn't respond.

"...You too, huh?"

"What?"

"It's like that with you too? You do the wrong thing, and everybody pays the price?"

"...Yeah." It took one word from Luffy, and that made Henley think.

'I thought I was the only that caused trouble for others,' he thought. 'I screwed up one time, and now Flora's at death's door. Maybe it is my fault that she's stuck in that room, forced to lay in bed.'

"I have done some things, too. A lot of things that I'm not proud of. I may not have killed, but I still don't feel alright with what I've done. What I've forced myself to do. I've had to act like a pirate, the scourge of the world."

"But not all pirates are like that," Luffy said. "I'm not that bad if you get to know me."

"I'm sorry," Henley said. "But regardless of whether or not some people are good or bad, I have a job to do."

Then, quick as a wink, he pulled out a test tube, this one containing a murky green liquid, from his bag on his left side. He opened the cap with his thumb, used his right hand to grab Luffy's neck, and squeezed hard, choking him. This action caused Luffy to let go of his grip on the redhead and grab his wrists, desperate to make him stop.

He then jabbed the test tube down Luffy's throat, letting the liquid sink down inside him. He pulled his arm out, revealing that every last drop was gone.

"LUFFY!" The three aboard the Sunny yelled out. Franky jumped on the railing and had his left arm open up, revealing a gun inside, intending to shoot Henley.

"Let go of him, you bastard!" He shouted, threatening to fire.

"Moon Walk!" Henley jumped and kicked the air beneath him, taking Luffy with him up to the arm of the mainsail. That was where he put him down, gently though.

"GUYS!" Usopp shouted, running with Chopper and Brook from the jungle. "Luffy's lost in the jungle! We outran some predators but-" He immediately silenced himself after seeing that Luffy was on the mast's arm. "...ok, never mind."

"What happened?!" Brook questioned. "And who is that young lad up there?"

"No time to explain!" Sanji exclaimed. "We need to get that idiot out of there now before something bad happens!"

"Then let's climb up there then!" Zoro shouted, motioning to the ropes leading to the crow's nest.

"No go, bro!" Franky yelled, bringing the guys' attention to him. "That kid may see us coming if we try anything!"

"In that case," Usopp said, "We'll have to strike him in a way he _won't_ see coming!" With that, Usopp ran down the gangplank and to the jungle, having an idea in mind.

Unbeknownst to the men, an eye was on the side of the rail, until it disappeared, leaving behind traces of petals.

XXX

"Well?" Nami asked Robin, who had both her eyes closed and arms crossed. She uncrossed them and opened her eyes, having an answer.

"I'm afraid we have a situation on our hands," Robin said. "We have to get back to the ship, now!"

"Right!" Nami responded as the two took off running back to the ship.

'Luffy,' She thought. "Why can't you stay out of trouble for once?'

XXX

"Ugh," Luffy moaned. He started to feel dazed from whatever he just swallowed. "What was that? I don't feel so good."

"Don't worry," Henley said, "It's just a side-effect of the man-made antiserum. Though considering what it does, it's more like an _anti_-antiserum."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Let me put it to you this way. It was created to help a person think more clearly, but also to increase the emotion of what you were feeling prior to taking it."

"What?"

Henley sweat-dropped. "You didn't listen to what I just said, did you?"

"Not really," Luffy answered honestly. "Does it do something good or bad?"

"A little bit of both. But that's up to your interpretation."

"Huh?"

Henley sweat-dropped again, but more than usual. "I mean, what do you think it'll do? It's your opinion."

"Why did you do this? I didn't do anything to you!"

"I know," Henley said, "but I had to do something to get you to let go of me."

"You could've just asked me, jackass!" Luffy shouted with steam blowing from his ears.

"I said that you would attack me if I let my guard down," Henley added, "That's what I did to you. You should've remained cautious."

XXX

Usopp climbed the tree until he got to the top. He had a little bit of difficulty due to the trees' bending shape, but he pulled through. He made sure to be at the far side of the jungle close to the coast so he can have a clear shot at the cloaked guy, whoever he is. He readied his weapon.

XXX

"Look on the bright side," Henley said. "All you have to do is have a strong emotion that is the opposite of whatever it is you were feeling."

"Huh?" Luffy questioned again, making the shorter young man sweat-drop again, this time with a visible tick mark.

"Wow, you're not very bright," Henley bluntly stated. "It's almost a wonder your crew manages to have you as their captain. Assuming you _are_ the captain."

"Hey! I am the captain!" Luffy shouted, obviously offended by Henley's remark.

"Alright, _captain_," Henley sarcastically responded. "I'll ask you this. What do you think of your crew?"

"My crew?" Luffy questioned. "They're all my friends, of course."

"Do you trust them?"

"...Yes," Luffy said, pausing a moment before answering.

"Do they trust you?"

"Um... yeah," Luffy started to get annoyed with these questions. "Is there a point to this?"

"You hesitated before answering a few of those questions," The redhead stated. "You don't know for sure, do you?"

"No!" Luffy denied. "No, I... I..."

"Did they lie to you about something? Did one of them do something bad?" While asking, Henley looked to the down to the left. He could see the tangerine trees on the observation deck, which made him remember something. "Wait, that thing..."

"Huh?" Luffy asked. He didn't know what was on this guy's mind now, but he was thinking.

"That's it!" Henley shouted suddenly, taking Luffy off guard. He had a grin on his face, looking at the trees once again. "That's what I need!"

"What?" Luffy asked, not knowing that Usopp was ready to fire, or that Nami and Robin were on their way back.

XXX

Nami and Robin had to run some ways, but they saw the Sunny in their sights. They also saw two figures standing on the arm of the mainsail.

"Is that Luffy up there?" Nami asked.

"It looks that way," Robin responded.

Sanji saw that the women had come back, and went to greet them.

"My lovely ladies~!" He swooned, foregoing the entire scenario that was unfolding. "How are you to-"

"Guys!" Nami shouted, ignoring the cook as she and Robin ran past him, making him fall into a depressive state, again. "What's happening? Is Luffy up there?"

"That's right," Franky answered, "And Straw Hat isn't looking good. He was forced to drink something, and that made him feel woozy. It doesn't look like he can fend for himself."

"That's not good," Robin mused. "Maybe he'll feel his life slowly slip away before he falls into the ocean and sinks."

"ROBIN!" Everyone except Sanji and Usopp yelled, the former still depressed and the later up a tree.

XXX

"Special Attack: Fire Bird Star!" Usopp launched a massive fireball in the shape of a phoenix that went toward the intruder.

XXX

"Hmm?" Henley looked behind him. He saw that a fiery phoenix was coming up behind him and Luffy. He quickly jumped over Luffy and onto the sail below him.

"AAUUUGH!" Luffy was not as fortunate. He was caught in the blast and was set ablaze, screaming out in pain while falling.

"LUFFY!" Everyone shouts in horror as the captain falls onto the helm. He was able to get up, but ran and jumped into the ocean, clearly not thinking straight.

Zoro was the first to move in. He ran up the gangplank, across the deck, and jumped over the railing, diving.

He went in the body of seawater, and swam deep into the dark abyss below, catching a glimpse of Luffy, sinking below. The fire scorched his clothes, his skin having slight burn marks, but nothing Chopper couldn't fix.

Above the surface, Usopp saw what happened from the tree he stood on. He couldn't believe that he shot Luffy like that.

"No, God, please," he said to himself as he climbed down the tree and ran to the group as fast as he could.

Everyone looked at Usopp, shocked as he came up to them.

"I-I didn't mean to..." Usopp spoke, meekly. "I-I wasn't aiming for him, I thought he would jump..." He collapsed to the ground and sent his fist to the sand in frustration, while shouting, "GODDAMMIT!"

"Don't worry, Usopp," Sanji calmly said, "He'll be fine. It'll take more than that to kill him. Besides, Moss-head is picking him up."

Brook looked back at the ship and noticed something odd. The mainsail was tearing up. No, it looked like someone was sliding down it by tearing the sails up. He ran up the gangplank to get a better look, then a brown-clothed person landed on the helm.

Henley stood at the helm, his right hand dropping some kind of knife that turned to water as it hit the wooden floor.

"You there!" Brook shouted. "What did you do to Luffy?!"

"Me?" Henley asked. "Nothing, unless you're talking about the test tube I made him drink. But the firebird, that was all one of your own."

"Enough!" Brook revealed his sword from his cane, and got into a stance. "You're trespassing on our ship, and you caused Luffy to fall!" As he shouted, the rest of the crew came up to the deck, with Zoro climbing up to the ship with Luffy in tow. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper went to Luffy, waterlogged, but alive.

"I may have got him in that situation, but your crewmate did all that on his own," the redhead stated, gesturing to Usopp. "Besides, I'm not here to hurt anyone."

"Then what do you want?" Robin asked, with curiosity.

"An important item, and I will get it, even if I have to go through all of you."

"Wait!" Nami shouted. "Can't we cut a deal?"

"Sorry, but I don't negotiate with pirates. Besides, I've always wanted to see the infamous 'Straw Hat Pirates' in action."

"So," Zoro spoke as he unsheathed his swords, placing Wado Ichimonji in his mouth, holding Shusui in his left hand, and Kitetsu III in his right. "Is this your final answer?"

Henley jumped on the helm's railing, held two small objects in his hand, both his thumbs inside the circular pins. With a face of conviction, he shouted to the crew.

"LET'S GO, STRAW HAT PIRATES!"

***CLICK!***

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	4. Ch 3- Thousand Blows

**Chapter 3- Thousand Blows**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Scorcher, Fixit, Seventy, Beau-Père and Gibbs © HatOnFire/Me

(WARNING: CONTAINS LUNA HINTS. DON'T LIKE, THEN TURN BACK NOW. ALSO, INTENSE SCENES AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.)

* * *

***CLICK!***

The moment he released the pins from the small devices, Henley quickly threw them at the Straw Hats, and they landed on the grass of the deck.

"Everyone, get back!" Sanji yelled, motioning everyone to move away from them. He grabbed the two objects and threw them up to the air, kicking them higher. Then, they exploded in a blinding flash of light, which most of the Straw Hats looked at, unfortunately. The only one who didn't look was Luffy, and he was slowly recovering from falling in the sea. He got up and was ready to go again.

"Alright, mystery guy," Luffy slurred, before coughing up some more seawater. "You're gonna really- ***COUGH!***" He went to the side and to spit some more water out of his system. He had swallowed some of the water when he fell, so getting up quickly without coughing a certain amount made him feel sicker than a dog.

Henley sweat-dropped. 'I should have taken him with me when I dodged that firebird,' he thought. It would have saved him from some burning, and some water you would gag from.

The hooded boy then jumped to the deck in between the Straw Hats. He proceeded to do a leg sweep with his left leg, knocking them down. They each grunted as they fell to the grass.

"Gun-Gum Pistol!" Luffy sends his fist straight at the figure, striking him in the face. Henley was taken off guard for a moment but recovered as another fist came stretching at him.

"Shave!" Henley disappeared yet again, then reappeared next to Luffy.

"25 Brick Fist!" He then punched Luffy in the face, making him take about seven steps back in front of the recovering crew.

"What kind of an attack is that?" Luffy taunted, "That wasn't a hard hit at all!"

"It wasn't supposed to be like that!" Henley responded. "It was supposed to push you back so I could have some breathing room!" As he said that, he pulled out another small device, lifted the pin, and threw it at the Straw Hats.

"Chemistro Grenade: Smoke!" The grenade then let out a huge stream of smoke that engulfed the entire deck.

Luffy ran to punch him in the stomach, but he sidestepped, then grabbed him by his vest's collar, and threw him into the smokescreen. Zoro ran out of the smoke, armed with his three swords, and charged at Henley.

"Oni Giri!" Zoro quickly dashed to slash at Henley, but he was faster. He had jumped over the swordsman, doing a somersault until landing on his feet. Sanji then came out of the smoke and made his attempts to attack the hooded boy.

"Collier! Épaule! Côtelette! Selle! Poitrine! Gigot!" Sanji tried to kick at Henley's body parts, but the shorter young man dodged every single time. 'Damn!' Sanji cursed to himself. 'This guy's reading my moves! It's so annoying!'

"My turn!" Henley shouted as he dodged one of Zoro's sword swipes. He jumped over Zoro and grabbed his shoulders, doing a front flip, and threw him overboard. Zoro then fell into the ocean.

"Zoro!" Luffy called out, running from the cloud of smoke. Everybody else came from the smoke as Henley jumped in, taking Usopp by the nose with him.

"HEY-HEY-HEY!" Usopp yelled, "Let go of my nose! Let g-!"

***BONK!***

Usopp was thrown from the smoke, with a comedic bump on his head.

"Usopp!" Chopper cried. He ran to check up on him. He noticed that he didn't have his Kabuto with him.

"Wow," Henley proceeded to comment, sticking his head out of the smoke with a smug grin. "One punch and he's out like a light. What a mook." He promptly sank back into the white blanket.

"Weapons Left!" Franky fired some rounds into the smoke, despite not having any idea if he did some damage.

"That's it!" Luffy shouted, "No more hiding! No more running! You fight us here and now! Gum-Gum Balloon!" Luffy inhaled a supply of air, increasing his body mass until his body looked like a balloon. The captain then shot the air to the smoke, blowing away the smoke.

"Nice one, Straw Hat!" Franky shouted, his left arm ready to fire. But when the smoke dissipated, their opponent was nowhere to be seen.

"Where did he go?!" Nami yelled, electricity coursing at the tip of her weapon.

"There!" Robin shouted, pointing at the railing of the observation deck. Henley was standing at the edge, holding Usopp's weapon, the Kabuto, and ready to fire something from the sling.

"Seis Fleur!" Robin crossed her arms, sprouting them on Henley's body as he fires at Robin, which lands at her feet. What Robin saw was a grenade without a pin.

"Chemistro Grenade: Paste!" It promptly explodes, trapping her in liquidized glue, breaking her concentration. The arms she sprouted disappeared in flower petals.

"Robin!" Sanji shouted. He ran and touched her in the state she was in. His hands were then covered in the paste, and had trouble separating from her. "I'm stuck!"

"Of course you're stuck, idiot!" Nami yelled, smacking the back of Sanji's head. "What did you think was gonna happen?!"

"You looked ready to rush at Ms. Robin's side as well, Ms. Nami," Brook mused.

"I know, but I wouldn't have tried to touch her without getting stuck!" Nami fired back.

"Just pour some water on them!" Luffy shouted, "It'll wash the glue off of them!"

"Sorry," Henley said, jumping on top of Franky's head, "But I can't let you go and do that." He wrapped his legs around the cyborg's neck, and flipped himself over, taking Franky down with him. Franky landed on his back and felt something land on his metal belly as Henley released his grip on him. It was yet another grenade, and it exploded in paste, covering him up.

"Aw, crap!" Franky shouted, squirming to get the glue off of him. "This won't hold me for long, you know!"

"That's all the time I need," Henley said. "I still need to see what the others can do, after all."

"Thunder Ball!" Nami disconnected the top of her staff and sent a small thunder ball at Henley, who dodged with a backflip.

"Nice weapon," Henley complemented, "Too bad it's in incapable hands."

"I'll show you incapable!" Nami connected the Perfect Clima-Tact again and went at the hooded figure.

"Nami!" Luffy shouted, "Free the others first!" He then got hit by the Kabuto, which Henley threw at his face, knocking him down.

"Luffy!" Nami exclaimed, turning her attention to the sender, who was giving off the same smug grin. She gave a fierce look in return and started swinging her staff at him until she managed to land a blow at his stomach. She then charged the end of the baton and swung it into Henley's chest. Usopp was regaining consciousness when he saw what was going on.

"Thunder Charge: Swing Arm!" Henley was electrocuted, sparks fleeing across his body. Nami smirked, sticking her tongue out, "How about that?"

"Don't get cocky!" The hooded boy shouted. "I'm still a real threat when cornered!" He somehow disconnected the Clima-Tact, and took the top of the staff, and jumped to the side, rolling. He got up and spoke to her. "In hindsight, showing me a split second of what your weapon can do is not the smartest idea ever. Now have a taste of your own medicine!" He somehow shot a thunder ball from the baton, which electrocuted an off guard Nami. She screamed out in pain from the blast.

"NAMI!" Everyone, minus Zoro, shouted in horror as she fell to the ground. Luffy looked pale as he ran to Nami, while Henley retreated to the high ground, namely, the observation deck.

"She should've listened to you," Henley mused to himself, looking solemn.

Luffy put his ear to her chest. There was a heartbeat. He sighed in relief, giving a thumbs up to the crew. Zoro climbed up to the railing of the ship, at least until Henley fired a thunder ball at him, forcing him back into the water. Those who were still in the fight turned to the observation deck, each looking angrier than the last.

"YOU BASTARD!" Sanji yelled, trying to get free. "How could you do that to a lady?!"

"Indeed!" Brook shouted, "It's deplorable!"

"I didn't see a lady when I attacked," Henley spoke, "I saw a person who got ahead of themselves. And for the record, is it deplorable for me to be fighting criminals? Because it doesn't matter who you are if you're a pirate. Whether you're a man, a woman, an animal, or some separate entity, I will fight you. You have to worry less about your code of honor and more about your survival! Instinct! Your judgment call!" He then pointed the baton at Luffy, who sweat-dropped.

"You do know I'm made of _rubber_, right?" He said, putting special emphasis on the word 'rubber'.

"Speaking of judgment calls," Henley continued, ignoring Luffy's remark, "Your girlfriend didn't exactly respond to your orders when you told her to free your friends." If anyone was looking at Luffy more that Henley, they could see a small blush show up around his cheeks. Maybe another side effect of the liquid he drank? Luffy shook his head, purging whatever he was thinking and answered the question.

"That only happened because you hit me, jerk!" He shouted to Henley. "And she's not my girlfriend!"

"Yeah!" Sanji shouted, "He wouldn't have a chance with my sweet Nami, or any woman, let alone anyone! Besides, he's an idiot!"

This made Luffy frown. 'I've been called an idiot before,' He thought. 'Why am I feeling crummy about it now?' He didn't know why, but he was walking towards Sanji, who still has his hands covered in the paste.

"Okay," The brown hooded figure replied, putting his hands up. "I was being hasty when I said that. Bad example. ...But you!" He pointed at Sanji, throwing the baton to the grassy deck. "You think you're captain would never find love with a girl?" As he was asking that, Zoro was climbing back up to the ship, though Henley didn't mind.

"How could he?" The cook retorted, "I don't think he'd know what it means to be in love of it hit him in the back of-" ***SMACK!*** He was stopped mid-sentence by Luffy, who furiously punched Sanji to the center mast, shocking everyone. On the bright side, it looked like he was free of the paste he trapped himself in.

"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted with dilated pupils and pale faces.

Nami opened her eyes as she saw what was happening in front of her. She also saw her baton on the deck, and Chopper walking to the stairs leading up to the kitchen. It looked like he was going to attack him from behind. She smiled softly as she reached for the baton.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, LUFFY?!" Sanji shouted, looking irate.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK?!" Luffy responded, fuming. "How can you say these things about me?! I'm you captain!"

"A crappy one, from what I'm looking at!" Sanji yelled, kicking Luffy in the face. "And that was for freeing me when I was trapped with Robin in a glue of love!"

"THAT'S WHY YOU HIT HIM?!" Usopp shouted.

"Oh, you! With the long nose!" Henley exclaimed, "Sorry I decked you like that! And for calling you a mook!"

"YOU!" Usopp shouted furiously, "What was that?! You threw my device like it was a stick!"

"Sorry! I wanted your captain to shut up, for some reason." Henley answered. 'Hmm, why did I hit him that way? That was unnecessary.' "Hey Straw Hat!" He spoke again, this time to Luffy. "Sorry for throwing that at you! It was stupid!"

"You know what's worse?!" The captain called back to him. "Hurting my girl-, er, Nami!" He corrected himself. The crew looked in astonishment. Something was definitely up with him.

"You were going to say, _girlfriend_, weren't you?" Henley questioned, unable to resist the urge to smile warmly.

"SHUT UP, YOU DICK!" Luffy shouted, albeit with blushed cheeks. "I'm still gonna kick your ass!"

"Hey, Luffy!" Sanji grabbed him by the collar, with a dark look in his eyes. "You think Nami is _your girlfriend_?" He started to have that look which could scare you into abstinence.

"Huh?" Luffy started sweating, "NO! No! No no no no no no no no no!" Now he was denying what he almost said, trying to think up different situations. But then, he looked up to the sky and saw a small cloud over the deck. Henley also saw what was going on, but made no attempt to stop it.

"Rain Tempo!" The cloud produced some rain, falling on the deck. Some of the rain droplets fell on the paste that immobilized Robin and Franky, freeing them both.

"YEAH!" Franky shouted, "I'm feeling SUPER again!"

"Thank you, Nami," Robin said, smiling at her.

Henley then looked at Nami, up and ready to fight, holding her three batons.

"In hindsight," Nami spoke to where the hooded figure could hear her, "Taking your eyes off of me and my weapon wasn't the smartest move on your part. Cool Ball! Heat Ball!" She swung two of her batons as blue and red air-like bubbles floated above the deck. They combined to form a cloud above them.

Henley smirked beneath his hood. "Well, what do we have here? It looks like you could do some damage, after all. But we're assuming I'm going to be stupid enough to get underneath that cloud."

Luffy and Zoro looked around. "Hey, Zoro?" The captain asked.

"Yeah, I know. Where is he?"

Henley dropped his smile when he heard Zoro. 'He who? Did I miss someone?' It was then he realized, someone wasn't with the group.

"Rumble: Horn Point!" Henley's face went to shock when he heard a voice behind him. He turned around and ran at the figure behind him, Chopper, who charged back at Henley and lifted him up with his strengthened antlers.

"Roseo Colonnade!" The reindeer then launched him out into the air as Nami launched a thunder ball into the cloud. Luffy stretched his arms and swept his crew away from the center of the deck.

"Thunderbolt Tempo!" Lightning fell from the cloud and passed straight into Henley, electrocuting him at full force. He fell to the deck, looking pretty crispy.

"Nice going, Nam-!" ***SMACK!*** Before he could finish that sentence, he was smacked into the grass by Sanji.

"My Sweet Love~!" Sanji swooned yet again. "You did amazing!"

"Thank you, Sanji," Nami said while sweat-dropping.

"Can you drop dead now?" Zoro flatly asked, lifting up Luffy.

"I'd love to, Zoro," Luffy said, "Since my _friends_ decided today would be a good day to show how much they hate me."

"I wasn't asking you, Luffy," Zoro stated, "Just the Dartboard."

"Whatever," Luffy muttered, letting go of Zoro's shoulder so he could stand.

Zoro felt troubled. Luffy doesn't normally sound like this, much less act like this. He had to talk to him soon. But first...

Henley got up from the grass and dusted himself off. When he saw that he was surrounded, he smirked. "Guess I can make some time to get better acquainted with you guys," He said.

"Oh, you have no idea," Franky responded.

"You won't get the drop on us again!" Usopp shouted.

"Very well, then," Henley spoke again, "Your move."

XXX

The Transponder Snail continued to ring out. It was calling nonstop to the group in the private locker room. However, it looked like no one was going to pick it up. After all, two of them were in a boxing ring, exchanging punches with their boxing gloves.

"Scorcher, will you pick that up?" A voice asked from outside the ring.

He was wearing a light green mechanic jumpsuit, one that had multiple pockets on the torso, along with black boots and gloves, and goggles with green shades resting on his forehead. It also had a green anchor imprinted in the torso, darker green lines going from the shoulder to the sleeves, silver arm and knee pads with a thorn in the center of each pad, his belt was holding two silver batons and a black wrench, and he had two dao swords on the back of his jumpsuit.

His skin was light and fair, he had light brown hair in a flattop and an ivy league style, with a goatee, and his eyebrows were in a completely thin straight line, almost like a unibrow. His name was...

FIXIT. Chief Mechanic Of The Delta Marines.

"Aren't you going to quit playing around and get that?" He called to the man that jumped back from the taller one.

This man was taller than Fixit, skin that looked about five shades darker, and considerably had more arm muscles. He was wearing black shorts and boots at the moment, possessing red boxing gloves, and had large chest muscles, though not as large as the man he was sparring with. He had a matchstick in his mouth, along with some black soot spots on his face, with thick yellow eyebrows. He also has a rectangular chin.

His blonde hair had a buzzcut but also had some liberty spikes going in a straight line on his head. The spikes themselves had a string at the end of them, making them look like candles. His name was...

SCORCHER. Demolition And Artillery Expert Of The Delta Marines.

"No way!" He shouted while ducking from a punch, "I'm not done yet! You're out of the ring! Why don't you do it?"

"Because, I'm working on something important," The mechanic responded, sitting down on the floor, screwdriver in hand, looking at what appears to be a bazooka.

"You weren't even doing anything while I was fighting!" Scorcher yelled, with comical shark teeth.

Suddenly, a left-handed black boxing glove came flying into the hothead's stomach, then a right-handed one went onto his head, knocking him down. Both hands belonged to the taller man.

He had brown pants on with a black belt, black shoes, and the black gloves he used to end the fight. His skin was just as tan as Scorcher's, but his body looked incredibly different from the others. His muscles were larger than the others put together, and had a red crosshair tattoo on his torso.

He was completely bald, though he was wearing a typical marine cap, and had a rectangular nose, with a small scar next to it on his right. His eyebrows looked to be thin, and has a trapezoid look, but without the bottom line. He has a mechanical neck brace that covers his neck and mouth. His nozzle is a peach color, and the rest of his brace is light grey. His name is...

SEVENTY. Marksman And Combat Expert Of The Delta Marines.

"Really, now," He spoke in a baritone voice, "Flailing around like a puppet and getting distracted doesn't sound like fighting to me."

"SHUT UP, NECK-BRACE!" Scorcher shouted, getting up quickly. "He distracted me!"

"You let yourself get distracted like that," Fixit said, spinning his screwdriver in the disassembled bazooka. "That's extremely unbecoming of a marine. You should sign up for a discharge."

"LIKE HELL I DOIN' THAT!"

"You can't even speak right when yelling," Seventy remarked, pressing his finger down on the hothead.

"Boys, Boys!" Another voice, one more commanding, filled the room, forcing the three men to stand at attention.

He was wearing a light blue dress shirt and navy blue pants with black dress shoes. He also has a marine coat with the word 'justice' on the back, standard for high-ranking marines. He looked to be shorter than the other men in the room.

The man himself had a fair skin tone and a light pink, triangle-like nose. His hair was a reddish-brown color, in a Jheri curl style with a curl drooping down his head, and a handlebar mustache below his nose. His name?

COMMANDER BEAU-PÈRE. Commander Of The Delta Marines And The G-13 Marines.

"Sheesh," He said, walking to the transponder snail on a small desk, "What does a guy have to do to get his officers to quiet down?" He picked up the receiver on the snail to answer the call. "Commander Beau-Père."

"Ah, good!" An old voice came from the snail. "I've managed to make contact with you personally!"

"Hm?" The man questioned. "I'm sorry, but may I ask who this is?"

"Ah, right! I almost forgot to tell you my name!"

"And rank!" Another old voice came from the snail. "Honestly, it's a miracle that you even became a Vice-Admiral with your intelligence, Garp!"

"Oh, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, sir!" Beau-Père exclaimed. "And Vice Admiral Garp, sir! I'm sorry, I didn't recognize your voice until now!"

"It's all right, no harm done!" Garp shouted.

"Use your indoor voice, idiot!" Sengoku yelled in the background of the snail's voice.

'You're just as loud, sir,' Beau-Père thought, sweat-dropping. "Anyway, if I may ask, do you have orders for me and my squad? I assume this isn't a social call."

"No, it isn't," The fleet admiral responded. "It's orders, straight from me. I want you to apprehend a pirate for me, rather, for the people."

"Alright then," Beau-Père said, motioning his men to prepare whatever gear they use. "Who do you want us to arrest?"

"It's a well-known pirate," Garp said over the other line. "I think you've heard of him, considering the damage he's done to _that place_."

"Sir, I'm afraid you're being cryptic, could you amend that statement?"

"You've heard of the Enies Lobby incident, haven't you?"

The commander went silent. His men, in the process of opening their lockers, also stopped.

"Yes, sir," he spoke up, breaking the silence. "I have. You want me to arrest _him_? Monkey D. Luffy?"

"That's right," Garp continued on. "I'm faxing you a dossier as we speak. This report is not just on him, but the Straw Hat Pirates as well. You have the things needed to get the fax, right?"

"Yes, sir, I do. What will I find on them?"

"A few things I've kept secret from some people. Like his lineage, his crew's recent actions, things like that."

"I see, sir."

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot! I also have a favor to ask you. That's why I'm calling too."

Beau-Père became somewhat exasperated, letting out a breath of air. 'I thought this _wasn't _going to be a social call,' He thought, then spoke up. "Name it."

"About what you see on this message and hear from us, we want you to keep it a secret, please."

"Don't say please!" Sengoku shouted again. "And furthermore, it's not a favor, it's an order! The world will shake even further if any of this information is leaked!" During the shouting, the machine attached to the snail started printing out some paper. Beau-Pére, listening attentively, picked up the papers with his free hand.

"So," The commander inquired, "These papers I have now, the ones you've faxed to me, they're confidential?"

"Yes, they are," Sengoku answered. "No one must know about this. Only you and you're top men!"

"Hey, Sengoku," Garp interrupted, "Want a rice cracker?"

"No! I don't want anything from you right now, idiot!" ***BONK!*** A noise could be heard over the line, along with the cries of a grown man.

"Sengoku!" The snail cried with comical tears and a bump on the head. "Why did you do that?! You're so mean!"

"I wouldn't be if you took this seriously! Your grandson keeps causing trouble and makes us look bad!"

"Wait, grandson?!" Beau-Père exclaimed. He then looked at the papers, and his jaw dropped to the floor.

"WHAT IS THIS?!" A loud yell erupted from the G-13 building, sending shivers down the spines of every soldier in the area. In fact, the whole island base, the forest, even the battleships were filled with sweating marines.

XXX

"Your move," Henley spoke, his calm expression not wavering.

"TAKE HIM DOWN!" Luffy shouted. At that moment, the Straw Hats each went at him, one by one.

Sanji ran and attempted to kick him, but Henley intercepted the attack. He grabbed the leg and threw the cook into Brook.

"Gum-Gum Stamp!" Luffy sent his foot to hit the shorter adversary, but he simply moved to the side and jumped to attack with his foot.

"Tempest Kick Rapier!" Henley sent his foot to the captain's stomach, making him slam against the wall, hard.

"Franky Boxing!" Franky runs up to the hooded figure and makes several attempts to punch him, but Henley kept stepping backward, avoiding as many as possible. The cyborg realized what was going to happen next, and stopped with the flurry of fists. He then stepped to the side.

Henley was surprised by this action, until...

"Cloven Cross!" Chopper, in Arm Point, with expanded muscles, ran behind Henley and struck him in the back, sending him flying off the ship with an X mark imprinted behind him.

Henley was flying through the air for a while, until he started up his feet and used Moonwalk to position himself in mid-air. With his hood blown off, and a determined face, he skipped back to the Sunny but didn't realize what else lied in store.

"Treinta Fleur: Hang!" A segment of arms sprouted from the foremast and grabbed Henley's neck, making him stop. Robin was at the railing, maintaining her concentration until she moved on to give him more pain. She commanded her arms to continuously slam her captive on the mast, above and below where her arms sprouted.

"Hey, Nico Robin!" Franky called out, "Careful where you hit him! I really hate to have to build a new mast for the crow's nest."

"Don't worry," Robin replied with a smile, "I'm being gentle with him."

"Keep him still, Robin!" Usopp shouted, taking aim for him. "Special Attack: Atlas Comet!"

Usopp fired four pellets at one time, sending them to hit the hanging man dead center. The attack connected, making an explosion.

"ARRRRRRRGH!" Henley screamed out, and Robin dropped him, letting him land on his feet. He panted and started sweating. It looks as though he will need only a few more hits, and he's done.

"Aubade Coup Droit!" A blast of air was sent at the redhead from Brook and he was forced to take the blow.

"Cyclone Tempo!" Nami threw two-thirds of her Clima-Tact at Henley's face, and his nose started dripping blood from his nostrils. This attack only provoked him, and he made a charge at Nami.

"Extra Gum-Gum Hachis Gatling!" Luffy and Sanji got in between the two, and each sent their fists and feet, respectively, at Henley, knocking him off balance. He then retreated to the helm deck, but...

"Ouchie Finger!" Franky twisted his left index finger and opened it up, firing a bullet that went through Henley's shoulder.

"Two Sword Style: Nigiri!" Zoro, with his trademark bandana, sheathed his swords, Kaitetsu III and Wado Ichimonji, and went at him like a shot.

"Tower Climb! Tower Climb Return!" He sent the swords up and down, both missing Henley, but the next few times, he wouldn't get lucky.

"Flash! Ripple!" The attacks connected. The former move grazed the short man's chest twice, and the latter cut part of the cloak.

'Crap!' Henley cursed in his mind, 'If Roronoa keeps this up, I'm finished! I have to stay alive... for her!' The redhead was almost out of options, but he had a chance still. He reached somewhere in his cloak, and fidgeted around, up to something.

"Two Sword Style: 72 Caliber Phoenix!" Zoro sent out a compressed wave, eerily similar to a phoenix, at Henley. He saw the attack and disappeared in time. He reappeared, dropping a grenade, releasing smoke. The swordsman slashed at the smoke, but there was no trace of the body.

"Damn!" Zoro yelled, "I thought for sure he was done for!"

"Look around!" Franky shouted to the others, "He vanished in thin air!"

"Maybe he got in the crow's nest!" Luffy thought aloud, He stretched up to the foremast's arm, carrying himself to the crow's nest.

"He could be anywhere!" Nami yelled to everybody, "Let's turn this place upside down!"

"OF COURSE, NAMI~!" Sanji swooned, for the... wait. How many times did he do that again? Eh, whatever the number, Nami facepalmed in irritation, all the same.

"Let's go, Sanji!" Usopp dragged the lovestruck cook by the face. "We'll check the Soldier Dock System. It was open all this time, after all."

"Please be careful, everyone!" Brook chimed in, "I remember that he dropped something and it turned into water."

"Into water?" Robin questioned.

"Yes indeed," Brook responded, "It could be a devil fruit ability. He was holding back some of his strength, after all."

"Then we can't let our guard down for a minute," Zoro said, "Stay alert, and be ready to fight back."

"If only that idiot stayed to listen before jumping off again..." Nami said, sweat-dropping.

"He can handle himself just fine without instructions..." Zoro mumbled, going into the boys' dorm.

XXX

In the crow's nest...

"Alright, pal," Luffy said, "Where are you?"

"Tempest Kick Ransuer!" A naked foot came at Luffy, but he blocked it pretty well. He pushed Henley away from him, and the redhead landed on his butt. "Heh," He spoke, "Nice block. How'd you know I was in here?"

"I didn't," Luffy said honestly, "I guessed on instinct. But seeing blood where it shouldn't be also helps." He pointed to the drops of blood on the floor.

"Well, I guess I wanted you to find me," Henley responded, pulling a cloth up to his nose, and wiping himself. "Besides, now I know what you guys can do. You only attack when someone attacks you first, eh?"

"That's right," The captain confirmed, "We don't go around looking for fights. But we can finish them if we have to."

"That's interesting, but you'll forgive if I don't take your word for it."

"Answer me this, or I take you outside and mark your grave. What do you want from us?"

"A few minutes ago, nothing," Henley said, "A little later, I thought about teaching you a lesson. But now, I want a type of fruit. Something that can save a life, though you won't understand why."

"What do you mean? What can't we understand?"

"The meaning to save a life, of course. Pirates, that's you guys, in my opinion, seek wealth and murder, that's my experience with them. And I hate it, every single time I meet them."

"But we are not like that! How many times do I have to say that?!"

"As many as you want," The redhead answered, "But my opinion won't change in just a few hours. Thinking that it will, that's just plain naive. A pirate put me in a tight spot when I was young, you see. I was practically in a state of hell until I escaped from it." He didn't know why, but he felt like speaking out to this person.

"That's... I'm sorry." Luffy was disturbed by that statement, but he didn't know why he apologized for something he had no control over.

"No need for that, captain," He said, "The suffering I went through, it made me realize, how messed up we are. How you can be a target, just because you have different abilities." He showed Luffy his hand, and it didn't look like a completely normal hand. It was partially webbed, stopping short of the first phalanges*.

(A/N: *The parts of your fingers that connects to your palm).

"Whoa," Luffy said, "You're a Fish-Man?"

"Partially," Henley responded. "But that doesn't make my life easier. Pirates still chase me, for fighting back against them. They're really annoying." He laughed a little, before continuing. "At least they're good targets for some of my jokes."

"Jokes?" Luffy questioned.

"Yep. Wanna see?" He then put a grenade in Luffy's hands, without a pin, and took a few steps back.

"Uhhh... Where's the joke?"

"It's more like, _who's_ the joke? And the answer... is you. Nothing personal."

The grenade let out a stream of smoke, but this time, it was blue. Luffy, inhaling the stream of smoke, fell to the floor.

"Chemistro Grenade: Sleep!"

"You... dirty cheat!" Luffy said, barely succumbing to the sudden drowsiness.

"I said nothing personal," Henley said, "And also, be careful how you go about explaining this. Your crew is not going to be happy when they find they're captain _literally_ sleeping on the job." He chuckled lightly. "I'll be here all week, everybody!"

Luffy then passed out to the floor, losing consciousness.

XXX

"Ugh," Luffy mutters as he wakes up, groggily. "Hey, why can't I move?"

It doesn't take him long to realize that he has been tied to the arm of the foremast, by his own legs, no less.

"Alrighty, then!" Henley shouts with a smile, "High time we go! Can't keep the audience waiting!"

"What are you gonna do with me?!" Luffy shouted, "Lemme go!"

"Why would I do that?" He questioned, "Besides, I think this is a faster way to go down. By the way, sorry I tricked you like that."

"You're sorry?!" Luffy yelled again, "You make fun of me and tell me 'I'm sorry' like you are?!"

"Listen, I had to keep you from telling the others that I was up here."

"Well, someone in the crew will find out! She always knows some things, after all."

"True, true." Henley then pointed to the blue smoke that was dissipating in the air above deck. "That's why I tossed a few grenades that cause sound vibrations into the deck, so some of the pirates would go down. I think the cyborg, black-haired lady, and the raccoon dog all went to check out the noise."

"What?" Luffy asked, with disbelief in his eyes.

"Don't worry, nothing bad happened to them," He assured, "They're just asleep, but the effects won't last that long. Gives me time to tell you something important about that drink."

"What?"

"Remember the drink I gave you? The effects you should be feeling are temporary."

"What are those effe- effe? Efeet? Efoots? Effets? Effects?"

"Yes, effects," Henley patiently answered, "Anyway, you'll feel sad, since you were feeling that way when you drank it. You also should feel smarter, at least, smart enough to remember everything from here to when you were eleven years younger."

"That far back?"

"That's right," Henley answered again, this time with pride. "I made this thing myself! ...Well, I think I made this. Hmm..." Now he started mumbling to himself. "Did I make this?"

"YOU CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER IF YOU MADE THIS THING?!" Luffy shouted, shark teeth and all.

"Okay, maybe I did make this, or maybe I didn't! Sue me! My story is really jumbled up! I can't even remember parts of my life when I was nine to twelve years old!"

"YOU CAN'T REMEMBER SOME OF THOSE PARTS?!"

"Well, I drank some kind of serum that gave me memory loss, WHICH I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW OR WHY I MADE IT, MIND YOU!"

"Why are you shouting?! I'm the one trapped here! I should be shouting!"

"Okay, okay!" Henley calmed down. "But at least I didn't bring you so close to the water in case you got loose somehow. That'd be bad. I can't swim either."

Luffy puffed his cheeks to the redhead. "I'm still mad..." He muttered, then perked up. "Wait, you have a devil fruit, too?"

"Yep," He responded, "But I can't show you. It's my secret."

Luffy puffed his cheeks once more. "Killjoy..." He said to himself.

"Anyway, that's why I made this drink, to remember parts of my life. I did make another drink that will help you remember everything about your life."

"Then, why don't you use that one, since you'll remember _everything_?" Luffy asked with a sarcastic look on his face. He was so tired of this guy's crap.

"Well, because it's safer for me if I remember parts instead of everything. My brain could get scrambled, and my memories will be distorted, and whatever bad feeling I've had in the past will hurt me, hard. It's a pretty bad thing. That serum makes the one I gave you look like a walk in the park, which is what it's supposed to be."

"If you have something bad," Luffy then asked, "Why do you still have it?"

Henley paused for a second, thinking. 'Wait, he's right. Why do I still have this thing? I just dump it in saltwater, and it's gone. But what's stopping me from doing it?' His mind flashed to a person of his past.

'Sha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!' A laughter echoed through his mind, forcing him to remember _that man_.

'He ruined my life before leaving to torment other people!' He thought, angrily. He then looked at his bag, contemplating. 'That's why... Revenge is why. But... I can't do that. I'll be a killer for the rest of my life. Gibbs taught me better than that, but why... Why can't I bring myself to throw it away?!' He grunted in frustration.

"Hey!" Luffy asked. "Why do you still have it?"

"That's none of your business, you piece o-!" Henley yelled, before stopping abruptly. He turned away from Luffy, surprised by what he heard. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "I don't know what came over me..."

Luffy then thought to himself, 'This guy... He has issues. ...Just like me.' Luffy looked down, wondering to himself. 'Did somebody make him angry just now, like what happened with me?'

After taking a deep breath, Henley said, "Listen, Straw Hat, you can cure yourself of what I just gave you. Just think happy thoughts, and the sadness will wash away soon."

"Okay," Luffy said with a simple face. "It's worth a shot." He then thought of something, no, someone. The image of this person started to fill his head, as he warmly smiled.

He thought of her orange hair flowing in the wind. He also saw her bright smile, with what he thought was the sun shining from behind her. He also saw that she was holding a plate of cooked meat in her hand. For some reason, Nami was the first thing that came to his mind. He didn't know why, but the thought of her just came to his head. It was a good feeling. At least, when she isn't berating him for something wrong.

Luffy opened his eyes and took a deep breath. He then collapsed on the mast's arm.

"I still feel like I suck~!" Luffy said, comical tears streaming down his face.

"The cure doesn't happen just instantly," Henley spoke with a facepalm. "You'll have to wait for a while before it takes effect. Keep thinking happy thoughts until then." He then looked down beneath him and saw that Zoro and Usopp were at the deck, while Brook was on the observation deck. All three were looking around, weapons at the ready.

"Welp, I've done what I could for you," Henley said aloud. Then, he started coughing up a little bit of blood. "Man, your crew is strong, Straw Hat."

"Yeah, they are!"

'If only they were as loyal and respectable as that green-haired guy...' He mumbled to himself.

"Huh?" Luffy asked.

"Here goes nothing!" Henley shouted, grabbing his canteen from underneath his cloak. He opened it up and poured some of its water on his hands. Then, he was bending the water to move, take form, into some type of blade.

"Water Kunai!" He had created two kunai knives out of water with just his hands. He proceeded to make another rip in the sail by sliding down with the knives tearing it.

"Wow! So cool!" Luffy shouted with stars around him until he realized he didn't call for help.

"ACK! What am I doing?!" He then made a large yell that would surely get the crew's attention. "GUYS! HE'S COMING DOWN TO THE DECK!"

That shout got the attention of those who were already on the deck, and they saw a shadow behind the sails, going down to the helm deck.

"Was that Luffy?!" Usopp exclaimed.

"It's our target!" Zoro responded, drawing his swords. "Stay where you are, guys! I get to him!"

Henley landed on the deck with the knives, letting them turn back to water.

"So," Zoro spoke, getting Henley's attention, "You took out our captain, huh?"

"In his defense," The redhead said, "I may have said something that took him off guard. Sorry."

"Don't worry," Zoro replied, "I forgive you. But I don't know if these swords will."

"Want me to find out?"

"Careful. They are thirsty for more blood. They already have a taste of you, so you'll forgive me if I can't hold them back."

"Well, I have a surprise of my own," Henley said back, cheekily. "I can't wait to show you." He held out his hand, revealing some water.

"Heh," The swordsman scoffed, "You think that I'm going to lose to some water?"

"Kinda," Henley answered honestly, "Water is my strong suit, and the hallmark of being at least part fish-man."

Zoro then looked surprised by what he heard. "_Part_... fish-man?"

"Don't forget the hyphen between _fish_ and _man_, now! And don't blink or you'll miss it! Shave!" Henley, after making a quip, vanished again. In fact, he was jumping in midair all over the ship, disappearing and reappearing at will!

Usopp was on the grassy deck firing randomly in the area where Henley was jumping, missing every time. He didn't even notice that the redhead appeared behind him until Brook noticed him sneaking up on him.

"Usopp! Behind you!"

"ACK!" Usopp cried out, but then, as he turned around...

"Sea Buckler!" He was punched in the face by Henley, with a light blue circle covering his whole fist. The sniper was then sent flying, landing and rolling down the gangplank and into the beach. The shape on Henley's right hand turned into water, and he made it into a different shape as Zoro came jumping down, with an aura of a tiger.

"Tiger Trap!" Zoro sent his swords at Henley, which managed to cut him, but he rolled to the side, clutching his chest wound.

"Isn't this overkill, even for guys like you?" He asked.

"We may not be as bad as your thinking now, but we aren't exactly saints either," Zoro replied, ready to strike again.

"Hmm," Henley then inquired, "The way you say that, it's similar to a face from my past. What was his name again? Ah, well, I'll remember that person eventually." As he finishes speaking, he jumps out of the way of the flurry of swords that come down at him.

Zoro swings Kitetsu diagonally, Henley dodging barely, and then brings Shusui behind him, leaving a horizontal wound on his belly. This forces Henley to jump to the railing behind him, grabbing his stomach.

'I knew it!' Henley thinks to himself, 'He knew I was coming from behind, so he expected this!'

"You know," Zoro said, "You can't take me down just by getting behind me. I would have to throw away my honor of a swordsman if I let _anyone _get behind me!"

"Noted," Henley stated, before jumping over another attempted strike.

"Sea Buckler!"

"Oni Giri!"

The two got into another standstill, Zoro's swords over Henley's water shield. The clattering of the swords and the solidified water was all that could be heard.

"You're pretty strong, man," Henley complimented, "So's your captain."

"If he were any less than me," Zoro responded, "And if I were less than him, we'd both be dead."

"He is smart, you know? He picks up on some things when concentrating."

Zoro, standing his ground, made no response, as he was thinking to himself. 'Smart, huh?' An image of the Straw Hat's Jolly Roger being taken by a fish bird came to his head, along with one of the Seven Warlords, Bartholomew Kuma. Zoro started to shift a little. 'Could he... actually know...?"

Henley was reading Zoro's facial expression and was inquisitive. 'Did I say something that hit a nerve?' He thought. The shorter young man then had a bad image come across him. 'Does this crew... actually think less of their leader, one who does so much for them?'

Both of them were so disturbed they forgot they were fighting, but Henley jumped back, forcing the swordsman to cut the air.

He then changed his weapon to water, letting it return to his arm. He started going on the offensive. Zoro ran at the shorter man, making slashes in front of him. Henley dodged and swept his leg under Zoro, but he backflipped over him, landing behind him.

"TATSU MAKI!" Zoro created a tornado with his blades, and sent Henley into the air with multiple cuts on the front of his body, as well as his arms.

Henley, then ran across the sky, throwing as many Water Kunai knives as possible, pelting Zoro with, if he could describe them, giant raindrops.

"Hey!" Zoro called out, "Take this seriously, will you?!"

"Aqua Shuriken!" The redhead sent another water weapon, self-explanatory, at Zoro's face, who couldn't block in time, and was splashed as a result.

"What was that?! ***COUGH!***" Zoro shouted while coughing from the water.

"Sorry about the water pelting!" Henley said. "It was to take you off guard so I could do this!"

"Shave Destrier!" He got into a running position and disappeared again. Then, he reappeared in the same position, backward to Zoro, and kicked him in his chest, sending him off the ship. He landed on the beach, struggling to breathe. It looks like Henley struck one of Zoro's wounds from one of his fights, unknowingly.

"There we go," He said. "That was one of my strongest attacks. Even if he could pick himself up from that, it doesn't matter. Playtime's over." He then jumped to the observation deck and saw Brook, sword sheathed.

"I was waiting for you, young man," the skeleton said.

"So, what's your story?" Henley questioned. "You ate a devil fruit and became a skeleton, or were you always like that?"

"Well," Brook replied, "My life was complicated, and I did eat a devil fruit. But I became a skeleton after I died."

"That sounds complicated, alright."

"Yes, now then," Brook unsheathed his sword, ready to strike. "Shall we continue?"

"Sea Quarterstaff!" Henley collected more water from his canteen inside his cloak, and morphed the water to become a staff that looked to be a little above his height. "Sure, let's continue."

The skeleton charged with his sword and made several attempts to strike at him. Henley dodged some of the swings, other times was forced to block. The two combatants were each at a point to where one couldn't get the advantage over the other.

"Polka Remise!" Brook delivered multiple thrusts to Henley, while he twirled his sea staff, blocking as many as possible. However, one thrust got his left shoulder, and a few went to his stomach, even with it were just the tips of the blade. Henley jumped away.

"You..." Henley had to take a pause with breaths, "You're fast, I... I'll give you that."

"Likewise," Brook responded, then charged for the blow. But then, Henley sidestepped and jumped up to land multiple hits to the skeleton's body with the staff. He then knocked the sword out of Brook's hand, grabbed it, and threw it to the deck below. He then let the water staff liquify into his hands as he jumped for the final time to end the fight.

"Tempest Kick Excalibur!" Henley sent his foot up to Brook's bony chin, knocking him out.

"Okay, _now_ playtime's over," Henley said walking up to the tangerine trees. He jumped up and grabbed the freshest tangerine he could see, landing on the floor. "Now, I can make the serum and end this hatred and confusion once and for all!" However, he wasn't safe yet.

"YOU! STOP RIGHT THERE!" The navigator's yells caught his attention, as did the thunder balls that were shot right at him.

The redhead made consecutive backflips to avoid a second pelting of electricity and jumped to the skies once more. Those who were knocked out in the Soldier Dock System came out to the deck.

"Hey!" Chopper yelled. "He's up there!"

"And Nami's attacking?" Franky questioned. "Why?"

"It looks like all of this was over a tangerine," Robin mused.

"Oh boy", Franky said. "This could get ugly."

"I'm sorry, but was this yours?" He said, holding the tangerine to where Nami can see it as he continued hopping on thin air.

"GIVE IT BACK NOW!" She shouted, shooting more thunder balls that Henley dodged with ease.

"You fight at your best like this," He proceeded to mock, "and you're only doing it for a fruit? That's sad. But, on the other hand, I'm no better myself."

"That comes from my trees, which belonged to be my mother! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TAKE IT!"

"You're right, I don't! But to save a person you love, you have to make compromises! This is my compromise!"

"You can't have it! You want it, you'll have to pay a fine!"

Henley started to seethe at the navigator. "Pay?" He spoke, slowly letting his rage show. "I don't have to pay you pirates anything! There's more to life than _mere_ money! It's worthless to me!"

"Money is not worthless!" Nami yelled. "It has value, just like that fruit, from these trees!"

"And I assume your price is over ten thousand?! Fifty thousand?! Fifty million?!" Henley's face went from angry to furious and started letting his fury out. "Do you think a person's life is worth less than the money you pay for this CRAP?! WELL?! DO YOU, BITCH?!"

Everyone got shocked when Henley's character changed in seconds, mostly Nami. She has never seen this guy before, but from how he looks right now, he was terrifying. Almost as terrifying as Arlong when he lets his anger out. Maybe even more so than him. It looked like he was possessed by some demon, with swirls around his eyes rotating endlessly. What no one else noticed was that another ball of fury was ready to attack.

"DIABLE JAMBE!" Sanji shouted, jumping off the observation deck and intending to kick Henley to the ground with a fiery leg. "HOW DARE YOU INSULT MY NAMI, YOU BASTARD RUNT!"

"ME?!" Henley yelled back, avoiding the kick and grabbing the back of the cook's collar. Henley then took the man and threw him into the ocean, but not without saying, "I think you need to understand this! NOT EVERY WOMAN IS A _PERFECT ANGEL _LIKE YOU THINK THEY ARE!" Just like that, the cook fell into the salty drink. Henley, still boiling, looked up to Luffy, trying to untighten himself from the mast's arm. "AND YOU!" He pointed to Luffy whilst jumping up to him.

"Me?" Luffy asked, growling at him for speaking that way to Nami.

"How could you allow a greedy, gold-digging bitch into your crew?!" Henley yelled, not caring who or what heard him. "Trust me, I know those types of people! I've met them all before!"

"Nami is greedy, but she wouldn't trade us for money and wealth! And she's not a bitch!" Luffy snapped back.

"Oh really?!" Henley sarcastically exclaimed, "Has she back-stabbed you before?"

Luffy sweated when he heard the question, but continued to stare.

"She has, hasn't she? What did she get in return, huh? Jewels? More berries?"

Sanji surfaced to the water, and went to climb up to the Sunny, as Zoro and Usopp regained consciousness and saw what happened above them.

"The only reason is because she was forced to do it!" Luffy shouted. "She didn't believe I could beat an enemy!"

"So, she wanted to play for the winning team because she didn't trust you? What kind of a friend does something like that?"

Luffy was still angry and was close to loosening his feet.

"Listen, Straw Hat," The redhead spoke up, "Here's some advice. Find a crew that trusts you and your judgment, because this one might have some secrets they wouldn't want to share with you."

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Luffy erupted, struggling with his feet. "MY CREW DOES TRUST ME!"

"You're saying that for certain, now?! Can you really believe your words?! Can you truly say that they trust you with _everything_?! You're the captain, so you should have all the say in important matters unless that hussy of a navigator does everything for you!"

"ENOUGH!" Straw Hat yelled for the last time, his legs free from the knot and snapping back to normal. He stood on the arm and got into a pose and activated a move he could use for only so long. "SECOND GEAR!" His skin turned into a bright pink, air releasing everywhere on his body.

"Nami is my navigator! I trust her! You just don't understand her at all!"

"And you are just saying hallow words!" Henley replied. "Hallow... just like her heart and soul! Just like every pirate that ever lived! ESPECIALLY LIKE ARLONG! THAT PIECE OF HUMAN HATING SCUM!"

It felt like a hammer dropped, from the moment he said those words. There were some Straw Hats who didn't know who this Arlong was, but those who did, they were angry. Nami looked horrified herself, she didn't even know that this person knew the man who ruined her life. She never expected that anyone outside the East Blue knew about him or his actions, or cared enough to hate him. But she was compared to her tormentor, and that pissed off some of the original members of the crew. But one person was the maddest of them all.

"RRRRRAAAAAAHHHHH!" Straw Hat leaped for the floating figure and grabbed him any way he could. He wrapped his arms and legs around him, crushing some of his bones. He stretched his head back, ready to defeat his enemy.

"GUM-GUM JET BELL!" He brought his head straight against Henley's skull. Surprisingly, there wasn't any shatter, but the pain really got to him. Unsurprisingly, Luffy wasn't done yet.

"GUM-GUM JET STAMP GATLING!" He sent his feet into Henley's stomach at an astonishing speed. It was able to knock him right into the deck, making a hole in the middle.

Normally, Franky would be telling Luffy to quit the assault due to him making the ship stay intact. However, this time, he did not want to be on the bad side of Luffy.

Straw Hat landed on the grass deck and looked at the hole he made in the Sunny. He reached down with his hand and pulled Henley up for one last strike.

"You know nothing about her!" Luffy said in an angry tone that would make the baddest of men run home to their mothers. He had the ragdoll in his arms, and walked down the gangplank. "You don't know what she went through!" He walked to the boundary of the beach and the jungle, and then stopped.

"You don't know... WHAT KIND OF PERSON SHE IS!"

Luffy let his dazed enemy down, then stretched his arms behind him.

"She is not... NOT LIKE ARLONG! SO DON'T YOU DARE JUDGE ANYBODY FROM WHO THEY ARE OR THEIR ALLEGIANCE!"

"Ugh..." Henley was standing there, extremely tired, and confused. "What... just... happened...?"

Straw Hat built up his punches to Henley then stopped short from hitting him, building momentum.

Henley held his hand up to his head, trying to breathe and collect his thoughts. 'What happened...?' He thought.

"GUM-GUM!"

'Did I... lose control of myself?'

"JET!"

The redhead looked at Luffy, his angry grin, but then he saw someone else. Someone he had not seen in a while.

He saw a person with a great smile and an orange hat, covering his black hair. He also had reddish-brown beads on his neck.

'Portgas D. Ace?' He thought. Then, he realized what was happening before him. Luffy was going to finish him off. "WAIT! LUFFY!" HE shouted. But it was futile.

"CANNON!"

The fists slammed right into Henley's chest, making him cough blood, as he soared once again. He flew across half of the jungle and threw an array of trees. When he hit a large rock in the clearing path, he slowed down, hitting the ground and making a long dirt trail. He stopped in the clearing of the jungle, dead center.

His face looked incredibly bruised, with blood coming from his eyes, mouth, and nose. His breathing was heavy like the world was crushing him.

'Ace...' He thought, 'I... remember. I'm so... sorry... I... screwed up... your brother.' Tears started streaming from his face as he remembered more about his past. Namely, one of his words before departing.

"_Remember!_" Ace shouted from his ship, "_Not all pirates are like each other! Use your head and think it all out before you decide what kind of person they are!_"

'I... I remember... those words...!' He started sobbing to himself, 'And... and this happens...! Right when... I... finally... remember... everything!' He didn't care who would hear him, or what would happen next, but it didn't matter. Henley let out a wail of anguish that swept the whole island. His life had gotten worse with each second, as far as he's concerned. After uselessly flailing, trying so hard to get up from the pain, both physical and mental, he blacked out.

XXX

Luffy, looking extremely tired, went to the ground on his knees. He had put in another grand effort in his attacks and felt wasted. He looked back and saw his crew was coming to get him.

'My... crew...' He thought, reaching out to them. 'I... I trust them...'

He heard voices, but they were foggy when he heard them.

'I... care about... them...

I... care... about... her...'

He collapsed to the ground, hearing faint screams and commands to take him aboard to the ship.

As Luffy passed out, thought one final question, one that would stick with him for a while.

'Do... they...

...really...trust...

...me?'

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	5. Ch 4- Concern

**Chapter 4- Concern**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Flora, Beau-Père, Seventy, Fixit, and Scorcher © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Luffy groaned in the bed, slowly opening his eyes. The finishing moves he used in the fight, along with the devastating rage he packed into them put such a huge strain on his vitality, he felt like passing out. He sat up, blinking a few times and rubbing his eyes.

He sat up, slowly though, as he still felt some pain from his back. He noticed that he was wrapped up in bandages, a good amount taking up his entire chest and midsection area. Since he was struck in the back by a firebird, they were called for. He should be just lucky that the fire was slightly flimsy, so he wasn't that badly burned.

The boy looked around and realized he was in the sickbay. That room, he could recognize, since he would sometimes bother Chopper when he was working. Speaking of the doctor, he sitting in his chair, writing in some notes, most likely about Luffy, and his bout of anger.

"Let's see here," Chopper mumbled to himself, "There are a few disorders related to extreme cases of anger, and they are, Borderline Personality Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Conduct Disorder, to name a few. All cases have to do with the emotional output of anger, which can be caused by constant stress, feelings of injustice, feeling unappreciated, loss of patience, and/or distrust."

"***YAWN!***" Luffy let out a small yawn, garnering the doctor's attention. The little one swiveled his chair around to face Luffy.

"Oh, Luffy!" He exclaimed, "You're awake!"

"Hey, Chopper," Luffy spoke groggily, "What's up?"

"Well," he began, "You passed out after you sent that quick guy flying, so we brought you in here."

"Hey, Luffy!" A shout came out as the door from the kitchen opened up. The source of the burst of noise was from Usopp, who was really glad to see Luffy awake.

"Hey, Usopp," Luffy responded, putting a pinky in his left ear, and flicking out its contents.

"You alright there?" The sniper asked.

"Yeah. How long was I out?"

"Five days," Usopp flatly said, though it was a lie.

"FIVE DAYS?!" Luffy shouted in shock, followed by a lighthearted laugh from Usopp.

"Nah. Just a few hours."

"Usopp!" Chopper scolded. "I told you not to do something like that to Luffy! He's had enough problems without you turning into one of them!

"I'm sorry!" Usopp apologized, still chuckling, "It was just a small joke!"

"Was it to make Luffy feel better, or you?" Chopper questioned, still giving the evil eye to the sniper. "Because look at him! You know what you did to him?!"

Usopp went agape, mostly over Chopper's change in tone, then looked at his captain.

"He's lucky that the fire didn't completely sear his flesh," Chopper went on, "And that he jumped overboard to douse it, otherwise, it could have burned his bones and organs! And if that didn't kill him, smoke inhalation would have!"

Usopp then closed his mouth and looked back at the doctor. After staring for a while, he looked to floor with a glum expression.

"Why did you have to remind me, Chopper?" Usopp said, not even bothering to lift his head up.

"Guys, it's okay," Luffy said, softly smiling, making the two look at him. "It doesn't matter."

"But, Luffy..." Usopp attempted to speak, but the scar-faced boy stopped him from going further.

"It's fine," he assured, "It was just an accident. Besides, I probably deserved that for something, anyway."

"Don't say that, Luffy!" Chopper yelled, "You didn't do anything bad!"

"I let my guard down around him," Luffy muttered, "I should've smacked him across the ship when I had the chance."

"Hey, he surprised me too!" Chopper exclaimed, "He took me, Franky, and Robin out too!"

"Oh yeah," Usopp chimed in, "Robin said that she and you guys got knocked out by some kind of sleeping drug, right?"

"Franky thought that this guy was after something in the Soldier Dock System, so he took us to check, then something fell in the hatch. It was more of those grenades, but they made us fall asleep."

"Yeah," Luffy concurred, "He got me with one of those. And he tied me to the mast's arm. With my legs."

"He's got skills, I'll give him that," Usopp mumbled.

"And I let him get away with Nami's tangerine," Luffy added. "I actually let him insult her instead of attacked him when I had the chance."

"Don't worry about that, Luffy. It's just a fruit. It's worthless on its own."

"Speaking of Nami," Luffy then questioned, "Where is she?"

"In the dorms. Last I checked, she was a little shaken up over what that guy did. She must've hated it, being insulted by a thoughtless moron. If I were scolded by anyone like that, I'd feel the same way."

"Really?"

"Yep!" Usopp cheerily stated, oblivious to Luffy's growing frown. "Makes me wonder, if he wanted that fruit so bad, he could've talked with us and we'd cut a deal."

"But knowing Nami, she'd charge him with 300% interest. She always was petty and unfair about things she owns." He remembered the time when she charged him a large sum of berries over a coat he damaged back at Drum Island. It doesn't help he overheard her say something about increasing the already high cost a few days after they left Thriller Bark. Obviously, she hasn't forgotten, and probably never will. This started to make him sulk.

'I was actually thinking about telling her the truth when she got sick,' He thought. 'I knew she was important, but I never thought she was so important that I would feel... like _that_ again...'

"Hey, Luffy," Usopp brought Luffy back to reality. "Don't worry about what has happened. What's done is done. You can't really fix the way an idiot acts. It's impossible to do."

"You think?" Luffy pondered, still miserable.

"Yeah. That guy would have caused us some trouble in the long run anyway."

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right!" Usopp beamed with pride as he lifted his thumb to himself. "This is the same guy who stared down a tough marine! This one had a really big mask covering his jaw, and was great at shooting, but not as good as me!"

"Wow, really?!" Chopper exclaimed with stars flying about.

"Yep!" Usopp went on to talk about his totally BS story about how he defeated this hulking marine as Luffy got up and out of bed, grabbing his hat.

"If it's alright with you guys, I'm gonna get another vest and take a walk," Luffy asked while putting it on his shoulders.

"Huh?" Chopper questioned, not paying attention. "Sure, Luffy, whatever. Usopp, you're the coolest! No one is better that you!"

"Thank you, Chopper!" The liar still grinned at his fable. "Of course no one is better than me! I'm the greatest!"

Luffy then walked to the door that goes outside, frowning.

"I'm the one who fights the tougher guys..." He muttered under his breath with disdain. As he walked out of the sickbay, he realized something. He never felt jealous of Usopp getting recognition before...

XXX

The pain was certainly unbearable, from his perspective. He thought he was tough, skilled. But as skilled as he was, he has so many flaws. And one of them just happened to appear at that moment.

'I... I should have been more careful,' Henley thought, as the doctor finished tying the last amount of stitches on his body. He knew you'd have to be crazy to stitch yourself up, but if his only option was to stitch himself when no one else would, he'd do it. On top of that, he has something that would make people turn him over to the marines. He's just lucky that someone was willing to help him out, despite his differences and problematic situation.

"There," The doctor said, "That should do it. It could take a while for those stitches to heal, so you should avoid putting further strain on your body."

"Yes, sir," Henley replied, "Thank you."

"I just want to promise me this," The older man asked, "You won't challenge any more pirates like that. Especially not with that mark on your chest. It's no wonder some people keep chasing after you."

"Yes, sir," Henley said, looking dejected. He never showed this mark of shame to anyone. It was obscured from view, but there is a cut mark on it, courtesy of Roronoa Zoro.

"What were you thinking, doing something like that, and going into the jungle without a plan or a group?" The doctor said, "That barrier exists to keep attackers and beasts like those pantherpines out! Youths today." He muttered that last remark under his breath.

"Then what's the point of the doors, then?"

"If anyone wants to go along the beach because they came that way, then they can. Other than that, it's there because we have a small group of pickers that wear clothes laced with that special moss. We need a place to get fruits and animals to eat from, after all."

"About the animals, doesn't the moss on that wooden wall just drive them away? You wouldn't have needed to build the barrier, either way."

"No chance, kid." The doctor got up to get some bandages to wrap up Henley's wounds. "Besides, that wall is also meant to keep attackers away."

"But if they want to plunder the village in a smart way, then couldn't they take some disguises from those pickers that leave and enter?"

The doctor paused when he heard that.

"Also," Henley went on, "There was a large patch of moss where anyone under say, ten feet, could walk through the patch and blend in with the crowd. There aren't many incidents on this island, from what I've heard, so crime patrols would be lax, wouldn't they?"

The doctor realized that the kid was right. Anybody could get in that way, even a rogue pirate. He then brushed it all off and said, "Eh, whatever, nobody'll notice that, so why bother telling about it to anyone?"

Henley sweat-dropped. 'Do these guys not care about the safety of this island?!' He thought to himself.

It only took a few minutes, but then the bandages were applied and done. "There, that should do it," He said, "Keep yourself from overdoing it and you'll be fine. With your physiology, you should be healed in a matter of weeks. Two, in fact."

Henley nodded, putting on a sky blue shirt with a grey jacket, and some black pants. They looked as if they had seen better days, with the shirt having a thin rhombus-like shaped hole at the chest and a right triangle-shaped hole at the stomach. The jacket had some claw marks at the right shoulder, and the cuffs of the pants, well, there were shreds at the bottom of them.

The doctor then handed him his brown cloak and hood and said, "This one's on me, alright?" Henley looked at the man in surprise as if he were wondering why. The doc went on, saying, "Besides, if I turned you in because of that mark, I'd be putting my beliefs into question."

The redhead looked astonished. "I didn't think," he began, "That anyone would help me because I was part Fish-Man. Or because I have a..."

"I was only doing what I thought was right, young man. I know you're a good person, but some circumstances do cause problems for others."

"Yeah, I know. Not everyone is good, but not everyone is bad. I know that now, and I won't forget that again!" Henley looked like he was putting on a brave face, but it was a fake smile. Deep down, he was hurting inside. Because of what he did, because a twist of fate forced him to forget about so much. Forget one of the most important lessons a human could learn. An image of Ace came into his mind.

'I won't forget again, Ace,' He thought. 'I won't lose control of myself like that ever again!'

On the bright side, he won't have to suffer from the side effects of his memory formula any longer. Just one more gap to fill, and he'll have remembered everything in his life.

"Well," Henley said, opening the door to the waiting area, "I'm off! Thank you, sir!"

"You're welcome, young man!" The doctor waved goodbye as the redhead walked to the exit.

He got outside, and went down the street to an alleyway, hiding behind some boxes.

'One more drink of this stupid thing, and it's done!' He thought, 'I'll have my memories back! Though, it isn't as important as the cure, and Flora's well-being! But at least one thing is done with!' At that moment, he took a drink of the light green vial and swallowed its contents whole.

The redhead then walked out of the alleyway and went over to the wooden barrier of the island. During the trip, he felt somewhat uneasy. He had gotten the last element needed for a working cure, but something wasn't right. He'd have to figure it all out when he has the time, but right now, the finishing touches of the cure were far more important.

It didn't take him long to get to the barrier of the island. As tall as it was, he can easily scale it like it was nothing.

He made sure nobody was watching, and activated his devil fruit ability, whatever it was.

XXX

Luffy came out of the dorm area and had pretty much the same set of clothes he usually wears. The only difference was that the vest is a violet color.

"Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho~!" A familiar chuckle was sent out of a certain skeleton's nonexistent vocal cords as he danced like a ballerina. As he twirled continuously, he went up to Luffy. "Ah, my captain! Mr. Luffy! Are you feeling well?"

"Hey, Brook," Luffy responded, though the greetings were not as cheerful as usual.

"Feeling down?" Brook questioned, still continuing to dance. "Fear not! I know what will cheer you up!" Brook twirled up to a wall, stopped, and slammed his head against it.

"There! 45 Degrees!" Looking from a perspective, you can see that Brook has once again used his body to create a right triangle, which all perfectly lines up in place. Also, the action resulted in a lighthearted laugh from the captain.

"Okay, that cheered me up," Luffy spoke, smiling warmly.

"Always happy to assist you, sir!" Brook spoke again, leaving his tilted position.

"Thanks, Brook," As Luffy gave thanks, he couldn't help but think about Nami.

'Wasn't she in the girl's dorms?' He thought. He decided to go over there and check up on her, despite how distant they got. And as far as he's concerned, it's all his fault.

Long story short, the Straw Hats met Shiki, a powerful pirate that hid from the world for years, then he came back out of hiding to destroy the East Blue. Then, he kidnaps Nami and tried to force her into his crew, only managing to do so after defeating Luffy the first time. This makes her decide to join, effectively pissing Luffy off. While he saves her and takes down Shiki, he was disappointed in her, as expected. Then, she gets embarrassed over a small message she left for him and the crew and throws the recording into the water.

All that did was pour more salt on the wound, because Luffy believed she trusted him, and to have that happen was enough to convince him that she didn't trust him. And there was the chance that he brought this on himself, which makes this already worse. It felt like a sick joke, he trusted her, but she didn't. If a god of mischief had such a crass sense of humor, then this must be it.

But despite this turn, he still thought that she trusted him. It may be naive, but it's still a chance nonetheless. Besides, he always believed in her navigation skills, which got them out some tight spots. On top of that, she would never betray him. Never, ever! Right?

Luffy then put his hand up to his chin and started to think. 'She's betrayed me before, but she had some reasons. Even what happened with _him_, it was because...' Luffy went downcast as he still thought, walking to the girls' dorms. 'It was because... I wasn't strong enough. So, can she still... _like_ me? Should she still be here with me?'

As he kept thinking, he didn't realize that Sanji was standing outside the door, taking a drag from his cigarette, until the smell clued him.

"Sanji," Luffy said, making the cook look at him. "Is Nami alright?"

"Is she _alright_?" Sanji seethed, almost biting the tobacco stick in two. "You let that scumbag get the drop on you, let him say those horrible things about her and you ask if she's alright?"

Luffy started to look more downtrodden. "Listen," He began, "I know she's hurting, and I want to talk to her."

"Forget it," Sanji coldly responded, shadows masking his eye. "She's not seeing anyone right now. Even if she were, you'd be the last person she'd ever talk to."

"Why?" Luffy asked, "I did screw up when he took me off guard, but I sent him away. He really crossed a line."

"But only because you let him."

"Okay," Luffy said, "I don't know what your deal is, but I wasn't the one who pissed him off!"

"Oh, you're saying that its Nami's fault now?!" Sanji yelled, pushing Luffy away from the door he tried to grab. He stumbled a bit, almost falling down the steps.

"What?!" Luffy questioned, "No! But, to be honest, she could've calmed down so that guy wouldn't have said those bad things!"

"Those tangerines matter to her! No one deserves to have them but her!"

"He said he needed it to save someone! I don't know how he can do it, but he really should've asked!"

Sanji scoffed. "Since when do you take the enemy's side?"

"I'm not!" Luffy shouted, raising his hands in a defensive manner. "I'm only saying that if both had cooler heads, they could work something out!"

"Oh, _really_?!" The cook sarcastically questioned, "Maybe we _calmed down_," Sanji proceeded to make air quotes, "Then maybe we could've had Shiki borrow Nami for a few weeks and have him destroy only_ part_ of the East Blue!"

Luffy snarled, grabbing Sanji by his suit. "Do you want me to give you a black eye or what?!"

The yell got the attention of Franky, who was exiting the Aquarium Bar. He saw what happened with Brook, and the two were watching them bicker.

"Whoa," Franky spoke, "Never saw Straw Hat chew out Bro Cook before."

"Yes," Brook mused, "And I hope we don't ever have to." They continued to watch as they went back and forth.

"Really, _captain_?" Sanji mocked, "You're gonna hit me now? Like what you did to Usopp back at Water 7?!"

That was enough to make Luffy flip his lid. He growled, then turned his body around, with Sanji in tow, and let go of him. The cook was sent down the stairs, rolling on the grassy deck. Luffy walked down the steps, his scowl growing with each step. He then spoke, threateningly...

"DON'T. EVER. TALK. ABOUT. SHIKI. NAMI. WATER 7. OR. USOPP. EVER. AGAIN!"

Zoro came out of the kitchen with a bottle in his hand and looked at the scene before him. He was confused, but the walked down the steps to Franky and Brook.

Sanji slowly got up, with a glare of his own.

"You should've shut up about whatever the hell that runt wanted," The cook retorted. "He was a bastard, Luffy. You couldn't reason with him. Besides, who'd listen to an idiot like you?"

"Okay, fine," Luffy spoke again. He still had some anger, but it seems to have toned down. "Maybe he was a lost cause. But I hate knowing that Nami's like this. I just want to-"

"No," Sanji denied, "You're not seeing her. You don't deserve to."

"That's not up to you to decide that."

"Yes, it is. I care more about her than anyone else aboard this ship."

"I care about everyone, even you. That's why I'm the captain."

"Just because you are the captain, that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"

"I just want to see her, Sanji! I don't care if you approve or not!"

"Well, I don't care if you are the captain! To me, you're just a spoiled, selfish twerp that drags this crew down!"

Luffy felt an itch come on. It wasn't the kind you scratch, however, but the kind where you should punch the person in the face. He wanted to, because of how satisfying it would be, but decided it wasn't worth it overall.

"**SHE'S MY NAMI, YOU RUBBER-BRAINED SHIT**!"

But that didn't mean he shouldn't strike back with words.

"At least I don't chase after some girl's ass while saying Nami's mine!" Having said that, Luffy turned around and made his attempt to climb up the stairs. He didn't even care that a black leg came behind him.

He was knocked away from the stairs due to Sanji's strike. This caused him to hit the railing, breaking it apart, and fall into the water.

"LUFFY!" The men out on deck cried out. Zoro ran out to the railing and jumped into the sea, intent on saving the captain. As for Brook, he was about to jump when Franky held him back.

"Don't be stupid, Brook!" Franky shouted, keeping the skeleton back. "Luffy will be fine!"

"But I can't stand around and do nothing!" Brook exclaimed, "He's our captain! We should help him, no matter the cost or challenge!"

Robin then came out of the girl's dorm, looking calm and irked at the same time.

"What is happening out here?" She asked, "I managed to convince Nami to nap for a while until dinner."

"Ask him!" Brook shouted, pointing at Sanji, desperately trying to light another cigarette. "He's the one who kicked Luffy overboard!" At the same time, Usopp and Chopper came out on the deck, not knowing what was going on outside.

"What?" Robin asked, sternly looking at Sanji.

"Robin," Sanji pleaded, "I know how bad this looks, but it wasn't my fault. He made me do it!"

Zoro climbed up with Luffy, coughing up water for the second time today. Chopper went to look at Luffy, while the swordsman menacingly walked towards the blond chain smoker.

"**WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MATTER WITH YOU**?!" He shouted, pulling out his swords, stopping short when Robin got in between them.

"Zoro, wait!" Robin implored, "We should think about this here! We don't know what went on between them."

"Yes, we do!" Zoro bellowed, "This eyebrow freak attacked the captain!"

"Wait a sec!" Usopp yelled, "Maybe it was an accident!"

"No!" Franky answered, "Brook and I saw the whole thing! Luffy and Sanji were arguing, then Luffy pushed him down the stairs! That's the part you missed, Zoro! But he did have it coming! He said something about Usopp back at Water 7!"

Zoro, Usopp, and Chopper looked at Franky, comprehending what he just said.

"Screw you, Franky!" The cook sneered behind Robin. "You had your family attack Usopp when he lost some money, you dick!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Robin shouted, sprouting arms behind Sanji, restraining him and bending his back, but careful not to break his spine. "All of you are acting like spoiled children, so stop it!"

Everyone went quiet. Robin never made an emotional outburst before. Well, at least not since Enies Lobby. They were each shocked and almost didn't notice Luffy pick himself up and walk up to the middle of the deck. His hat covered up his eyes, and everyone knew what that meant.

"Luffy?" Chopper questioned, feeling worried.

"Are you alright?" Franky followed up.

"...up," Luffy silently seethed.

"Mr. Luffy?" Brook walked up to his captain. "Are you still well?"

"Shut up," Straw Hat said again, a little louder than the first time.

"Luffy," Robin spoke up, releasing her hold on Sanji, and strolled to Luffy. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"SHUT UP!" Luffy roared, jerking his head up and revealing a suppressed glare, one that a madman would give off. Needless to say, everybody was disturbed. "JUST SHUT UP! IF YOU DON'T LIKE ME, THEN SAY IT AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" The raving boy then stretched his arms until he reached the arm of the mast. He launched himself up and went to the roof of the crow's nest.

Those that were on deck, unsettled by the captain's rage, looked at each other. It was such an uncomfortable silence, until Brook, slightly vexed, walked up to Sanji.

"Are you happy now, young man?" The skeleton asked, bending to look down on the smaller man. "Was insulting _our_ captain _worth it_? Was stepping on his authority and insulting him _**worth it**_?"

"He's an idiot," The cook replied, "There's nothing wrong with calling a man like him that."

"There is," Brook said back, fuming still. "You don't call anyone an idiot. It's not the gentlemanly way to act to others."

"You don't act like a gentleman, either."

"And yet, I don't shout and claim a girl to be mine, like an upstart bachelor." Brook then stood up straight, then went to the ropes, intent on climbing up to the crow's nest. "I thought you all call him an idiot as a term of endearment, considering he doesn't get mad. I must be short-sighted, thinking that way. Perhaps we all are."

He looks back to his _crewmates_, with nothing but contempt. "We must not deserve to be his friends, let alone, _**deserve**_ to be in the crew of a good man. Maybe, we never did, and he only took us in out of pity."

The skeleton climbed up on the ropes until he reached the nest. As for the ones on the ground, they felt shabby. However, a green-haired swordsman felt as if he was judged, found guilty, and given the harshest life sentence.

"He's right," Zoro softly spoke, "We really don't, not after all that's happened."

"Zoro?" Chopper questioned, waiting for an answer.

"We screwed up, big time," The swordsman pointed out, covering his face with his hand. "After all that crap over Usopp and the Merry, we lied to him." He sighed, more downtrodden. 'I... lied to him,' He thought. 'I'm such a hypocrite, damn it all! Even after all that shit over respect...!'

"What do you mean?" Chopper questioned again. He never remembered telling Luffy a lie. At least, he didn't recall it, to his knowledge.

"Chopper," Robin said, "Remember when the flag was stolen, when we entered the cold waters, and we fought a family of bounty hunters that stole some flags?"

"Yeah, why? Doesn't Luffy know about that?"

"No," Usopp said, before stopping to swallow a lump in his throat. "Because we sort of kept it a secret from him."

"What?!" The doctor exclaimed.

"Shh!" The sniper quieted him down. "We also kept it a secret from you, too. At least, we tried to. Then, I gave you some cotton candy to shut you up."

"Wait, then you lied to him and me?!"

"I didn't want to lie to you, buddy! Just Luffy! I mean, I thought we could get away with it! He's stupid!"

"See?" Sanji gestured to Usopp. "Even he thinks Luffy's that way!"

"What do you mean, _even me_?!" Usopp angrily questioned.

"Wait, why did you guys lie?" Chopper questioned again, almost on the verge of tears. He believed that Luffy was told about the flag, and looked past what happened. He thought, on the crew's side, it was an honest mistake. Letting it get stolen and neglecting to tell the captain along the way.

He was also told by Usopp that since Luffy was the captain, he should take responsibility for the theft. So, they blamed him for not being there and he apologized for letting the flag get stolen. In the end, they forgave him, since it's not his fault he was born stupid.* Was that also a lie?

*(A/N: I felt sorry writing stuff like this in, but sometimes even friends can be jerks. Some can be brutally honest and honestly brutal. So how can we tell which is which? Also, how can we be nice but tell the truth?)

"Hey, Reindeer-Gorilla?" Franky asked, getting down on his knees and raising his sunglasses. "Personally, I kept quiet because I felt pathetic. Weak. I wanted to pretend this never happened, or else he'd hate me again. I'm no man. I'm soulless."

"I did it because Nami wanted it that way," Sanji said. "She wanted to sweep it under the rug, so I did what she wanted. And because I didn't want that moron to yell at her." His attempts to light a cigarette didn't work the first time, and now, he can't even light his lighter.

"I did it because..." Zoro paused, until speaking up again, "Because I felt like I had to. I wanted to protect my pride, even though I wasn't on the ship when it happened."

"I lied, and so did Nami, too," Usopp admitted, earning a small gasp from Chopper. He never thought Nami would lie to him, too. "We did it because, well, we didn't want to be insulted. At least, not by a friend, who is an idiot. And our captain."

Chopper was stupefied, looking at his friends. The same people who accepted him, despite being a reindeer who could act like a human. He then turned to Robin, emotionless.

"You too, Robin?!" At this point, the doctor was close to tears.

"I'm sorry, Chopper," The archaeologist spoke again. She closed her eyes, and spoke again, "I lied too. All because I... I... felt amused. I... wanted to lie. Because it felt gratifying. I wanted to fool him. Fool him...!" She somehow hardened her heart and won against the tears, stopping them from leaving her eyes.

Chopper, however, didn't bother to fight it. He sobbed, letting the tears fall to the grass, like a rainstorm.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU GUYS! YOU LIED AND CALLED HIM NAMES! YOU'RE JUST LIKE THOSE PEOPLE WHO CALLED ME A MONSTER!" He ran off like a shot, crying and running to the sickbay.

"Chopper!" Usopp called out but was held back by Zoro.

"Don't," he said, "When he wants to talk to us, he'll ask."

"Moss-head's right, for once," Sanji added, earning a scowl from the offended. "Besides, he's got every right to be mad at us. We should explain ourselves to him, and tell Nami that he knows."

Usopp then went silent.

"Hey," Franky asked, "Shouldn't we tell the captain, too? He deserves to know."

"Then what?" Usopp questioned, "We get insulted and called out like this? We can't tell him! We're in too deep as it is!"

"Maybe, maybe not," Robin inquired, "We should tell Nami about this, and decide on what to do next."

"What else is there to do?" Zoro questioned.

"We can decide this. Should we tell the captain about this, or keep this our secret?"

"Duh!" Usopp chimed in, "We keep this a secret! What he doesn't know won't hurt him!"

"Bullshit," Zoro said, "We tell him the truth! We can't do this to him!"

"Yes, we can! It's the easy way!"

"It's not the right way!"

"We can still do this because he's an idiot!"

"He's still our captain! We've lied to him enough!"

"We've lied enough, or you?!"

Zoro and Usopp growled at each other until Franky separated the two from each other.

"Okay, okay!" He yelled, "Save it for when we have Nami and Chopper with us! Then, we can decide! Fair?"

The two looked at the cyborg, then nodded.

"Good," Robin said, "Sanji and I will wake up Nami, and tell her the news. The rest of you can talk to Chopper. We'll all meet in the aquarium."

The group on deck nodded. The choice they would make soon would not be easy, despite how simple it sounded. In the end, Luffy will still feel as he is, his descent towards the bottom and darkest of emotions only beginning.

XXX

Luffy sat up on the crow's nest's roof, his hat obscuring his most of his face. It's been a few minutes since he got up there, and he looks like he won't be coming down anytime soon.

"Mr. Luffy!" A refined voice called out to the captain, making him lift his head up from his arms.

"Brook?" He questioned to himself.

"Mr. Luffy!" Brook called out to him a second time. "Please, can we talk?"

Luffy sighed and shouted, "Go away, Brook! I don't want to talk to anybody!"

"Please, captain!" The musician implored once more, not giving up. "Whatever you have to say, I'll listen!"

"You don't know what I'm going through!"

"Try me, then! I'll have you know I was a captain myself!"

Luffy then looked behind him. He couldn't see Brook, but he could tell that he wanted to help.

'He was a captain, right?' Luffy thought to himself, 'Maybe he would understand...'

The captain then slid down to one of the windows, seeing Brook wave.

"Well, my captain?" Brook asked, "Shall we talk?"

Luffy then smiled, responding with a simple nod. He jumped to the mast's arm and walked to get inside the crow's nest.

After the two entered, they both sat down on the bench, right next to each other.

"Alright, Brook," Luffy said, "What do you want to hear?"

"First," Brook began, "I want to know what happened with Sanji. Why did you push him down the stairs?"

Luffy huffed and crossed his arms in one go, likely at the mention to the cook. "Because he was being a jerk," He responded, "He said some things I didn't want to hear."

"Could you be specific?" Brook questioned, "What exactly did he say to offend you?"

Luffy went silent. He took a deep breath and began to speak again. "Well... He said if I was defending that guy who attacked us today, then we could've had Shiki borrow Nami. He also reminded me of an incident at Water 7."

Brook listened attentively, nodding his head. The young captain continued.

"I didn't want to remember what happened there, but I did. I got angry, and I threw Sanji down the stairs. Then he told me I didn't deserve to talk to Nami. He insulted me, and you know the rest."

"It may not be my place to ask," Brook said, "But could you tell me about this _incident_ at Water 7?"

Luffy squirmed a little, reluctant to talk. However, he then said, "This was before we met Franky and you. Did I ever tell you about the Going Merry?"

"Is it that ship with a sheep's head? The one like the Mini-Merry below us?"

"Yeah, like that one, but bigger. Basically, the Merry was our first ship. We traveled a good part of the Grand Line with her, but she was damaged, and we took her to Water 7, so we could get her fixed. But that's when we found out, she was beyond repair. So, I decided that we'll have to get a different ship. It was a hard choice, and Usopp didn't agree with it."

"I see," Brook said, solemnly. "I had to give up our first ship, too. Along with half of our crew, plus Yorki." Brook realized that Luffy looked glummer, possibly due to what he just said. "I'm sorry, Luffy. Please continue."

"Usopp didn't want to abandon the Merry, because someone he knew gave it to us. We argued, then had a fight. He was gonna leave the crew over it."

"But he's still here, right? You forgave him."

"Only because he was sorry," Luffy stated, "Zoro wouldn't accept him back unless he apologized. If he didn't, then Zoro would leave the crew."

"Really?!" Brook exclaimed, "Zoro would've left the crew?!"

"He didn't want to be with a captain who lets his crewmates walk all over him. And he's right."

"True," The musician mused, "I wouldn't let my crew walk over me either. A captain should have his decisions respected, because he always gets the last word, the final say. If no one respects him, then he'll put them in their places, or force them to leave."

"And that's what happened with Usopp."

"I see. This explains why you reacted in the way you did with Sanji."

"He's my friend," Luffy softly said, looking down with guilt. "But I still did that to him."

"You were only angry, Luffy," Brook assured, "He made you angry, and you retaliated. Then the same thing happened to you, moments later. I'm not saying he should have done that, mind you."

"They hate me, don't they?"

Brook was startled. He couldn't believe that Luffy said that.

"What... What do you mean?"

"Because of how I failed Nami," Luffy said, "They all hate me now, I bet."

"No, Luffy!" Brook shouted, "Don't say that! I doubt that they hate you!"

"I didn't do a thing to help when he took me off guard! I was stupid! Maybe now they hate me and want me gone!"

"Stop saying things like that, Luffy!"

"Maybe... Maybe this was a mistake. I shouldn't have tried to talk to you." Luffy then quickly got up and attempted to walk out of the nest, but a boney hand grabbed him.

"Wait a second, captain!" Brook yelled, making Luffy look back at him. "We are not done here!"

"Look, Brook," The captain began, "I know you're trying to help and all, but it's not working for me."

"Luffy, no one wants you gone! They never said that!"

"How do you know that?!" Luffy retorted, "You probably don't know!"

"I know because you are invaluable to us! We would all be dead if not for _you_!"

Luffy immediately became soundless at what his musician said.

"We are all different, Luffy," Brook continued, letting go of his arm. "All of us. But we have one thing in common: We exist still because of you."

Luffy looked down, knowing Brook was right. He sighed, and looked up to him, low-spirited.

"Do they still trust me, Brook?" He asked, "Do they really trust me, as the captain?"

"I don't know the answer to that, I'm afraid," Brook responded, "There are some questions that only other friends can answer themselves."

"Oh." Luffy brought his eyes to the floor once again.

"But if it brings you comfort, my captain," Brook said once again, putting his hand on the captain's shoulder. "I trust you. I always will. You've either earned it or you haven't."

Luffy looked back up to his all-bone friend again, but more surprised than sad.

"Don't look so shocked, captain. If you keep looking at me like that, a fly will enter your mouth and you won't get it out. I have no problems with them, mostly because they can come and go when entering me, since I'm a skeleton! Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho~! SKULL JOKE!"

Luffy let out a cheery chuckle in response to Brook's bit at humor. He's actually glad that someone on this ship has faith in him, even though he's only been in the crew for about a few days.

"Thanks, Brook," Luffy said, "Knowing that you trust me really helps me out a lot."

"Sometimes a person is at their peak in confidence when encouraged," Brook stated, "It's part of why I'm able to fight."

"Yeah." Luffy then sat down on the floor. "Hey, Brook?"

"Yes, Mr. Luffy?"

"When you were with your crew, what kind of adventures did you have?"

Brook beamed with excitement. He never told anyone about his adventures with anyone before, at least, not in detail.

"Well, Mr. Luffy," He said, dramatically standing in front of his audience. "When I was a young man of flesh, bone, and vigor, I decided to be a musician because of one source of inspiration!"

"What is this source?" Luffy asked with a beaming grin, and stars shining around his eyes.

"A grand woman, who I miss dearly. She may seem odd to most people, but to me, she was the sun to my moon! She was the greatest woman that I have ever seen, back when I had eyes, of course! Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho~!"

"Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi!" Luffy laughed at the simple joke. He wanted to hear more, he almost didn't care if he missed dinner. _Almost_.

XXX

Meanwhile, at a marine base not far from the island...

"Sir," Fixit asked, preparing his gear. "Shouldn't we start deploying troops for the capture of Monkey D. Luffy?"

"We don't exactly know where he is, Fix," Beau-Père replied, sitting at the desk in his office. "I'm issuing an APB on the Straw Hats, with orders to respond back to me. Also, anyone, whether a marine, citizen, or bounty hunter will have instructions to not detain any of them."

"But, sir, won't they disregard your orders?"

"That could happen," The commander stated, "You must have a large set of balls if you disobey orders that came from Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself."

"Yes, sir. Like that one time, when you rammed his marine battleship into another against his wishes when that Rear Admiral abused his authority."

Beau-Père sweat-dropped. "Please, did you have to bring that up? It really doesn't matter."

"But, sir, you saved a lot of lives that day, and it only cost you a chance to make the jump to Vice Admiral."

"Again, don't remind me of that. I only did what I thought was right back then, and I don't regret it." He then looked to the side. "I wonder if I'll ever have a second chance like that again. It was a pretty big jump."

"Sir!" Fixit scolded, lightly slapping his commander on the head.

"Okay, okay!" Beau-Père chuckled, "I was only joking!"

During the chatter, a ring echoed across the room from the transponder snail on the desk.

"Commander Beau-Père," He answered.

"Sir," Seventy's voice came from the snail. "The prisoners are attempting to riot again. They're getting louder by the second."

"I really don't have time to deal with this, Seventy," The commander said, pinching his nose. "Can't you handle it? It's obvious _he's_ the one behind it."

"I'll try, sir. But he's a hard man to stop once his chains are removed." With that, he hung up.

"That man," Beau-Père mused, "Ever since he's been transferred here, he's been nothing but trouble."

"His escape attempts, sir," The mechanic noted, "This will be his 5th time. Not counting his other escape attempts from other bases or battleship brigs."

"Yes, he's rebellious, for having a 20 million berry bounty. If we found out about his true nature, it would have been higher." He stood up and walked to the door. "I've decided to help quell this riot. Let Seventy know that."

"Yes, sir!" Fixit shouted, giving a salute and reaching for the snail as Beau-Pére walked out of the room.

He walked through the halls, filled with a few armed marines walking behind them, intending to control the detention center. They made their way to the elevators and went in. Then, the mechanized system took them down to the ground floor.

The doors opened, and the commander stormed out with his men, joined by more along the way.

During the march, he had a few images flash before his mind.

'I promise this, _sister_,' He thought, 'I will make sure _he_ answers for what _he_ did to you and your daughters. I... will answer for failing you.'

The doors to outside opened, and it looked like some of the inmates were putting up a fight. Some stole a few rifles and fired at the guards, others engaged their watchdogs with their fists, swords, wooden planks, and whatever they could grab with their thieving hands.

"Deal with them, men!" Beau-Père shouted, his men standing in between him, and firing their rifles at the enemy. "I've got a bigger fish to catch!"

"YES, SIR!" The group shouted, and he ran to the detention center, knocking down and disarming some rioters along the way.

He pushed the doors open and saw the cafeteria in chaos. Left and right, some inmates were getting caught in large nets fired from Scorcher's cannons on his shoulders. They were silver, big, and looked like tailpipes from a motorcycle.

He had black shoes and black pants, with flares and holsters on his kneecaps. He had black armor with orange painted spikes on the shoulders that only covered part of his torso. Dead center, there is an insignia that looks like a small ball of fire. Underneath, he had a yellow, orange, and redshirt, arbitrary colors for fire. Behind him was a large, silver canister that stuck to the back of his armor.

Then, an inmate lifted a bench from the floor and ran at Beau-Père, but was slammed to the side by the front of a bazooka. It belonged to Seventy.

He was wearing an unbuttoned, brown camouflaged shirt and had a spare rifle strapped around his back. He had his black belt, brown pants, and black shoes he wore in the training room.

"A little late to the party, boss!" He joked, firing another net at a group of inmates.

"Yeah!" Scorcher cried out, "It's a madhouse in here! Though it probably is one!" He fired some shabby shells that knocked down a larger group. "That's a trip to the infirmary!"

"It doesn't matter if your good with those crappy weapons, you'll never beat my score over these lowlifes!"

"Stow it, men!" Beau-Père ordered, "Just get this place under control! Now, where is he?!" He went to a downed inmate that picked himself up and grabbed his collar. "Where is he?!"

"Who?" The weaker man sneered. Big mistake. He suddenly felt his neck get squeezed by the commander's hand.

"YOU KNOW WHO!" He shouted, angrier than the last moment. "WHERE'S ARLONG?!"

"RIGHT THE FUCK HERE, INFERIOR HUMAN!"

He was right there, standing on a table with a rifle and a sword, pointing the blade at the marine. He was wearing black and white stripes all over his shirt and pants, his shackles severed.

He had jet black hair and blue skin, with a shark fin sticking out of his back. His hands and feet were wet and webbed, and his nose was pointed and jagged, like a sawshark. In fact, a sawshark just happened to fit with his namesake, as he was feared greatly as the most notorious pirate in the East Blue. And his name is...

ARLONG. FORMER CAPTAIN OF THE ARLONG PIRATES AND PRISONER OF THE G-13 MARINE BASE.

"Sha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha~!" The brutal fish-man laughed. "I'm getting out of this dump, little human! And there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

"You said that the last time you broke out!" Scorcher mocked, "And there was the time before! And before that!"

"The yappy candlestick has a point, Saw-shank!" The big man yelled, earning a glare from both. "You've screwed yourself just by challenging us! What makes you think this time will be different?"

"Simple!" He boasted, "Because I've got an advantage! Something you miserable species don't have!"

"Your good looks?" The fiery man joked. This made Arlong angry, as he jumped off of the table and launched right at him.

"Shark Darts!" Arlong went right at Scorcher and tried to pierce him with his nose, and would have if he didn't dodge in time.

"Scorcher! Seventy!" Beau-Père bellowed, "Never mind him! Get the other prisoners back to their cells! Just because you can take him on doesn't mean you should!" He also used his fingers to gesture a small set of commands, to which they recognized.

"Yes, sir!" The two proceeded to leave the commander to fight the fish-man, who tried the same attack on him. Beau-Père just sidestepped without any problems.

Arlong then grabbed his rifle and shot at Beau-Père multiple times, missing. That was due to how fast the marine was avoiding the bullets and also managing to keep his jacket from being filled with holes. It wasn't long when he appeared in front of Arlong and jumped to his level.

"Tempest Kick!" Beau-Père raised his leg, and struck Arlong across his face, knocking him to the side. He used one of his arms to knock the rifle away during the blow and jumped away to avoid a sword strike.

"You'll pay for that!" Arlong yelled, "Shark Tooth Drill!" He jumped again, this time spinning with his mouth open, trying to shred the commander to pieces.

"Shave!" He disappeared to avoid the jaws of his enemy and reappeared behind him.

Arlong, getting annoyed with the short man, decided to swing his sword wildly at the commander, but kept on dodging and ducking, bending his body like paper.

"Why can't I kill you?!" The fish-man angrily roared, desperately attempting to kill Beau-Père with more sword strikes.

"Because you're a soulless man!" Beau-Père stated, "You never learn from your mistakes! You keep challenging people who are wiser and stronger than you, thinking about how better you are than everyone else around you!"

The marine then jumped into the air and hopped above the fish-man, only to stop and let himself fall. He brought his left leg up during his descent as Arlong foolishly raised his sword to stab his foot.

"This is for the woman you murdered! Tempest Kick Iron Hinds!" Using two techniques he learned with his training, he broke the sword into a million pieces and struck Arlong in his chest with his right leg, sending him crashing into a group of rioters that surrounded themselves with many tables. The marine safely landed on the ground without trouble.

He looked around him. Most of the inmates were either unconscious or caught in one of Scorcher's nets. Which reminded Beau-Père...

"Now!" He shouted, Scorcher running to the space where Arlong was knocked out. He grabbed the shoulder cannon on his left, and fired a shell, giving off a light blue color. It engulfed the area, making those still conscious pass out from inhaling the gas.

Arlong made his attempt to stand, despite the blows and the gas, but to no avail. He went back down like a bag of hammers.

"You know," He began to muse, "If I weren't a 5 times demoted Ensign, I'd have thought of this, like, 10 minutes ago."

A few stragglers, without weapons, tried to sneak out of the back way, but a group of marines came in, with Fixit.

"Sorry, gentlemen," Fixit spoke, slightly smiling and clearly enjoying himself. "No walks at this hour. You wouldn't believe the trash people leave around these days."

Beau-Père looked around him. All in all, it could've been worse. At least the riot is over with and he's done his duty.

"Well, men," He said, "Let's put them back where they belong." He then pointed to Seventy and a fresh group of marines next to him. "Take Arlong to the _Box_! Put him in chains and give him a muzzle. I don't want any more trouble out of him!"

"Yes, sir!"

The commander, having given his orders, exited. He couldn't stand to be inside the detention center any further.

Back then, he thought that this place could rehabilitate those who strayed from humanity. But now, with a man of absolute evil residing in these halls, it makes him wonder how naive he's been. He thinks about how stupid he was, believing each letter sent to him, simply because they said a _certain name_, someone he knew for a long time.

'Should I have quit the marines?' He thought, 'If I did, maybe _she_ would still be alive, and that _despicable monster_ would've been someone else's responsibility.' As he opened the doors and stepped into the light, he felt somber. 'And now, I have to catch the savior of _her_ daughters. The one who avenged _her_ death.'

It felt cruel in his mind, but he has his own responsibility.

'When we meet, Monkey D. Luffy,' He thought, looking to the sun, close to setting. 'Don't hold back anything. I won't, for I have to catch _you_.'

XXX

The doors to the aquarium opened up. Franky, Zoro, Usopp, and Chopper, eating some cotton candy, went in and each took a seat behind the tank. Not long after, Robin, Sanji, and Nami came in as well. They sat opposite to the other guys.

"Hey, Big Sis," Franky spoke to Nami, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Nami replied, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine. So... We have to think about this, huh?"

"Tch." Zoro clicked his tongue in annoyance, "Of course we have to. Luffy's the captain, we can't keep anything from him."

"Yes, we can," Usopp said, "And Brook too, he can't know, either."

"Wait," Sanji then asked, "Luffy, I get, but why Brook?"

"Possibly because we can't take chances around him," Robin mused aloud, "He may surely tell Luffy if we tell him."

"Oh, yeah," Sanji then understood but looked to Chopper. "What about you, Chopper?"

Chopper had misty eyes as he ate some cotton candy, and raised his head to Sanji, emotionless.

"I don't forgive any of you for keeping this from me, you know," He stated matter-of-factly.

"Understood, Reindeer Gorilla," Franky assured, "Bro Cook's just asking if you think you can handle it since you're in the loop now."

"I can try," The doctor said, taking a bite out of the fluffy treat.

"Alright then," Robin began, "Let's not take too much time on this, and decide now, rather than later."

"That sounds like the best choice, Robin," Nami responded.

"By the way," Sanji chimed in, "How'd you get Chopper to come?"

"Cotton candy," The other men simply replied, making the cook and Nami sweat-drop.

"Of course..." They both said.

"Anyway," Robin gained the crew's attention again, "Should we tell Luffy that we let the flag get stolen, or not?"

"I say we don't!" Usopp raised his hand up, attracting the crew to him. "I say we don't, because we don't know how he'll react! He doesn't want to speak to us right now, and this'll upset him even more!"

"I still say we tell the truth." Zoro calmly suggested, "He may resent us for this, but won't kill us."

"Yes, he will!" Usopp yelled, smacking Zoro on the head. "He'll definitely kill us! He's on the edge of killing a person!"

"He... He is?" Chopper questioned, quivering.

"Wait, wait, Usopp!" Nami yelled, "What do you mean, _upset him more_?"

Usopp went dead silent, then responded. "Earlier today, when we were going through the jungle, he made it clear he didn't want to hear Shiki's name again. Brook thought he could help, then Luffy snapped back at him. He was really angry."

Everyone looked at Usopp with inquisitive looks. He was right. Luffy was angry, just like when he knocked away the intruder who insulted Nami.

"Don't you see, guys? We can't tell him, or he'll get so mad, he'll... I don't even know what he'll do!"

"Yeah," Sanji agreed, "He pushed me down the stairs when I talked about Shiki in his face." He sweated slightly, intentionally leaving out the part where he talked about the Water 7 affair with Usopp.

"Really?" Nami asked.

"Don't worry, Nami," The cook assured, waving his hand. "It wasn't that bad."

"He could've done worse to you, shit cook," Zoro said, making Sanji jerk his head to him. "Especially when you insulted him while saying that Nami was yours, and kicking him into the sea."

"Shut the fuck up, Moss-head!" Sanji shouted, "At least I'm not a jackass who carries around swords only losers can use!"

Zoro started to have a demon aura shoot from his body, in response to what Sanji just said. Proud warriors, including his deceased childhood friend, carried these swords, and this so-called prince dares to insult their memories? He stood up, filled with rage, ready to draw one of his swords, but a hand stops him.

"ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU, STOP IT!"

Robin had as many hands appear to hold down both Zoro and Sanji from moving to attack each other. Every eyeball in the room looks to her, staring down at everyone with a fierce glare a devil would be intrigued by.

"All of you... We have to focus on Luffy. If you have any problems with each other, then settle them at a later time! Unless you have anything important to say about this, keep quiet!"

Robin let go of her grip on the two fighters, and both took their seats, still staring at each other.

"Sanji." Nami seethed, with her hair covering her eyes. "You kicked Luffy in the sea while saying that I belong to you?"

Sanji then looked at Nami, his face sweating in fear.

"Nami," Robin interjected, "Not right now."

"Fine," Nami huffed, "Later." The cook sighed in relief, being spared right now.

"Maybe we should tell him," Franky said, bringing everyone back to the topic at hand. "I mean, we've hurt him enough already."

"We, or you?" Usopp muttered with his arms crossed.

"Okay!" Franky shouted, "I get it! I screwed you and everyone back at Water 7! If I knew that we'd all be together, I would have fixed things back then! Get off my back!"

"Fine!" Usopp yelled, "But I will never forgive you, Franky!"

Franky then went quiet, after hearing what the sniper said. He looked away, feeling dejected.

"I still vote to tell the truth to Luffy," He said, "Robin? What about you?"

"I want to tell him the truth as well," Robin said.

"You know where I stand," Zoro replied.

"I still say no," Usopp interrupted.

"I second that."

Zoro, Robin, and Franky looked up, surprised by the second 'no'. As for who said it...

He took a drag with his cigarette, closing his eyes all the while.

"Sanji?" Franky questioned.

"I'm sorry, Robin, my love," The cook said, facing Robin. "But I don't want Luffy to know that we lost the flag."

"Coward," The swordsman mumbled under his breath.

"Look," Sanji began, "I know this may not be right, but we should keep it a secret, because Luffy will hate us, like Usopp said. It won't matter if we do some good thing for the idiot, he'll never look at us the same way again. Maybe it's best we never mention losing the flag at all."

Chopper and Nami, who remained undecided, looked to their cook, and started thinking to themselves. They thought of Luffy, with an angry look on his face. In Chopper's case, he started showing razor-sharp teeth and glowing red eyes. In Nami's case, she viewed him angry, then picking his nose with his pinky and flicking it in his general direction. Nami shook her head to get that image to disappear.

Chopper then raised a hoof, with his hat blocking his face.

"I... I..." He tried to speak, but had trouble getting his words out.

"Chopper?" Robin asked, "What's your choice?"

"I... I think we... should..."

Everyone stared at the young doctor, feeling a weight of anxiety on them.

"...We shouldn't tell Luffy."

"WHAT?!" Zoro angrily shouted, making everyone have goosebumps everywhere. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?!"

Chopper screamed, jumping out of his seat and running to Robin in fright. She grabbed him and held the reindeer close.

"I-I'm sorry!" Chopper pleaded, "Luffy will kill us if we tell him what we did!"

"But Chopper," Nami said, "You were with Luffy. You weren't responsible for-"

"It doesn't matter!" Chopper cried, tears rolling down his face. "He'll hate me anyway! I don't wanna tell him anything!" The little one hugged tightly to Robin, and she responded in kind. Everyone felt really bad for him, even Zoro. He sat back down to his seat in shame as everyone scowled at him for his outburst.

"Hey, guys," Franky then interjected, "I've changed my mind. I don't want to tell Luffy anymore."

"Really?" Usopp questioned.

"If we tell him, maybe Straw Hat won't just blame us, but also Chopper. I can't live with that."

"Then I guess that's that," Usopp let out a sigh of relief. "Glad we don't have to tell him a thing."

"Wait," Sanji intervened for a second, "We didn't hear what Nami thinks we should do."

Sanji threw out a good point. Everyone made it clear on where they stand, except for Nami.

"Who cares what she thinks?" Usopp stated, standing up. "We have the majority, so what she thinks doesn't matter!"

"Yes, it does!" The cook angrily stated. "Her word should be law! No, her word _is_ law! No one, not even that idiot, Luffy, can say no to her!"

"He's the captain," Zoro responded, "So he has the last say, so he can override Nami's decision if he has to."

"Shut up, Moss-balls!"

"Technically," Robin interrupted, "Nami does have the say in this."

"No, it's fine."

Everyone looked to Nami, who has stayed sitting where she was this whole time.

"It's fine," She said, resigned. "My decision doesn't matter anymore. The minute Franky changed his mind, we've already decided."

"Well, then, that's that!" Usopp exclaimed, "We won't tell Luffy the truth!"

"You sound happy," Zoro mumbled, getting up to walk out of the room. "It doesn't matter what we do. Luffy will find out eventually, and he'll be fucking pissed off. We'll come to regret this, eventually."

Just like that, he walked out of the aquarium. Sanji got up too and walked to the door.

"We've made the decision, so let's never speak of this again," He said, "I'm gonna make dinner, and he'll come running once he's hungry."

"Alright, see you then," Franky said, walking outside to get to his workshop.

One by one, everyone poured out of the place, except for Nami, still sitting down.

'Damn it...!' She cursed to herself. 'Why did I think that way about him?!' Her mind flashed to him picking his nose with an angry expression.

She saw that Zoro was standing at the doorway, coldly staring at her.

"He really cares about you, witch," He stated as his expression remained unchanged. "I don't know why you won't tell him that you trusted the captain after you betrayed him for Shiki, but I don't care. If you don't tell him how much you care about him, he'll go on thinking that you hate him."

Nami, looking annoyed, glared back at Zoro.

"That's not your concern, Zoro," She snapped back. "He doesn't need to know that I care about him. As long as he still trusts me, everything's fine. I don't care if he likes me that way."

The swordsman cocked an eyebrow, until he remembered that she heard Luffy stumble on his words when he fought that redheaded person.

"So he's smitten with me, what does it matter?" Nami said, getting up from her seat. "Nothing. I only love my mother, sister, tangerines, and money. There's no way I can love Luffy as anything more than a friend. It's impossible."

"He hears you say those words, he will lose it," Zoro asserted. "He'll hate you for the rest of your miserable life."

"Which is why I won't tell him," Nami smiled, "You better not, either. Unless you want your debt to be 50 times what you owe me!"

The swordsman developed a tick mark on his head. He was so pissed, he shouted...

"I hope Luffy hates you enough to wish your death, money whore! That way, he won't have to put up with this shit again!"

Zoro steamingly stomped off, not wanting to look at the witch for another second. Then, Nami walked to the door, closing it. Upon the shutting sound, she went to the ground, bringing her hand to her face as she cried.

'He's right...' She thought in between sobs, 'He'll hate me for sure...! He may already hate me because of Shiki!'

As she choked up to herself, an ear disappeared, leaving petals behind...

XXX

"I don't get it! I don't get it!"

Henley walked around his small campsite, pacing back and forth in critical thought. At the moment, he has a small tent for himself using thick blankets and sticks, covered in bright yellow-green moss. Specifically, the kind of moss used to drive away animals. Lying next to it, a simple bag, one designed to hold beakers and test tubes, along with other miscellaneous items.

"This doesn't make any sense!" He shouted to himself. "I completed the gathering of the necessary items, sure. Now, Flora can be saved. I remember everything I forgot! At least, some of it." He walked over to his makeshift lab. A tangerine was peeled and robbed of its slices, though only for science. The slices themselves had nothing left but the skin underneath that kept their juices from leaking out.

A fresh flask, with an orange liquid bubbling over a campfire, was held in place by a web, strangely enough. Sitting next to the fire was a log, and behind it was a small book. Henley then picked up the book and flipped it to a page he wanted.

"It's almost done, yes," He muttered to him, "Only a few minutes, then I'm off, happy as a lark!" He then thought up of something and turned to another page, this one detailing a beaker containing a murky green chemical.

"This thing, I got rid of it, right? I checked the bag, and that test tube's contents were gone. But if I did dispose of it, I would have known. There's no way I'd get rid of something dangerous and forget about it." He closed the book and went back to thinking.

Something did not sit right with him. 'I put it in a test tube, and labeled it '_DANGEROUS TO USE_,' with some skulls and crossbones on it! So why did I still have it?' He remembered exactly why and shook his head to make the images of a woman and a man dissipate.

"_Those two_," Henley angrily said to himself, "The woman who slaughtered Gibbs, and the bastard who did _that_ to me...!" He walked back to the bag, still fuming. He reached in there and picked up a test tube with the label. "Where did you go?" He decided to keep looking in his bag, and counted three test tubes, each with a light green color to it.

"Wait, shouldn't there be only two since I gave Straw Hat the..." It all dawned on him before he could complete that sentence.

He administered the wrong chemical to Luffy, Ace's brother.

"No... No please...!" He dropped the empty test tube onto the ground and fell to his knees. "I've done enough damage to him! Now this is what happens when I came _this far_?!"

Just then, he noticed that the serum he left over the fire was at its boiling point. He went to the fire and carefully took the flask off the fire, and put it in a hole, surrounded by some cold dirt.

"It's alright," Henley assured himself, "I can fix this. I just have to tell him how to get past this, and he can do it! If he can beat one of the Seven Warlords, he can definitely beat a drink!" He then grabbed his book and pulled out a pencil, turning to a blank page. "Let's see, what this drink does to whoever consumes it will..."

He continued to mumble as he multitasked to the best of his ability, writing and making sure the serum was completed. He knew he got someone into his own agenda, and he wanted to make sure that someone doesn't die over it.

'Your brother will live through this, Ace!' He thought, 'I'll make sure of that!'

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	6. Ch 5- First Nightmare

**Chapter 5- First Nightmare**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Flora and Ashley © HatOnFire/Me

(WARNING: DARK THEMES AHEAD. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE SECOND PART OF THIS CHAPTER, TURN BACK NOW. THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING.)

* * *

The night hour was coming as the day was departing. The Jolly Roger of the Straw Hats was flapping from the sudden burst of wind, as Luffy and Brook climbed down the crow's nest. When they both got to the bottom, Luffy was looking a little sad.

"Wow, Brook," Luffy said, "That was... Wow."

"Yes, I know," Brook responded, feeling equally depressed until he perked up. "But I've gotten over that, you know. I'm surrounded by other people who care about me. Like you!"

"I guess so," Luffy replied, smiling slightly. "You think she could still be alive?"

"I wish I knew. Either way, she would have wanted me to carry on. I would want the same thing from her, after all."

"Yeah. I know that feeling too."

Brook looked at Luffy when he said that.

"You had someone special, too?" He questioned.

"Not exactly," Luffy said, "I thought she liked me, but I realized she didn't."

"Oh," Brook mumbled.

"On top of that," Luffy continued, "She blamed me for something I had no control over, and she died later."

"Oh my..." Brook spoke from surprise. He never expected that something that happened with him similarly occurred with Luffy. "I'm sorry, captain, I didn't know..."

"It's alright, Brook," The captain assured, "It doesn't matter anymore. Let's get some food. I'm starving!"

"Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho-Ho!" The musician chortled, knowing that Luffy's appetite always comes up at any moment it chooses.

The two entered the kitchen, with most of the crew already starting to eat. Over time, the meals were passed around, and everyone each had their fill. Everything seemed relatively normal, except for one thing: Luffy never took food off of anyone's plates.

After a while, dinner ended without disturbance. However, that left a good deal of the crew slightly disturbed, mainly Zoro. As Luffy got up from his seat, Zoro went up as well, intending to talk with the rubber boy.

"Hey, Luffy," He called out, making Luffy look back behind him. "You got a sec?"

Luffy shrugged, not even making a sound. He went outside, and the swordsman briskly followed suit. Usopp, taking notice, walked up to Sanji.

"Zoro's gonna talk with Luffy," The long-nosed boy whispered in the cook's ear, careful not to alarm anyone, specifically Brook. "What if he tells Luffy...?!"

"He won't," Sanji replied, "He's just as guilty as us. He won't say a thing."

XXX

Outside on deck...

"What's up, Zoro?" Luffy questioned.

"Just checking up on you, is all," Zoro responded, "That little bastard must've gotten to you."

"So what?" Luffy crossed his arms and looked serious. "He's not the first guy to piss me off. You know that."

"I know, but that crap cook did too."

The captain slightly seethed at the mention of Sanji.

"Hate him too, eh?" Zoro asked, smirking a little. "Join the club."

"He can't decide whether or not I deserve to talk to a person," Luffy muttered, "Especially if it's Nami."

"Hey, captain," Zoro started to suggest, "Maybe you shouldn't try to talk with her for a while."

"Wait, you too?!" Luffy exclaimed.

"It's your call!" Zoro raised his hands in defense. "I'm just trying to tell you what I think you should do right now!"

Luffy huffed in annoyance as he listened to Zoro.

"I don't think she wants to talk to you right now. And you've been through a lot, yourself."

"Do you think she's mad at me?"

"What?" The swordsman asked, confused.

"I let that guy insult her and steal her tangerine," Luffy said with a dreary expression. "Does she hate me more because of that?"

"Oh, come on, Luffy!" Zoro exclaimed, bringing his hand to his forehead. "She doesn't hate you! Even if she does, it's a fruit! She'll get her ass over it!"

"But she still hates me then, right?" The captain then took off his hat and let it hang around his neck on a string.

"No! You're joking, right?! Why would she hate you?!"

"Back at Drum Island," Luffy began, putting his arms into his pockets. "I got into a fight with this one guy, and I was wearing her jacket at the time. She lent it to me 'cause it was cold outside."

"But like with all your other fights, you get some wear and tear, right?"

"She was angry with me, at first. Then she charged me, and is gonna make me pay back three times what it's worth."

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Zoro shouted from the top of his lungs, making the Sunny itself jump up in comedic shock, despite being anchored. This caused the rest of the crew to come out of the kitchen with concern.

"Zoro, quiet!" Luffy tried to shush in vain. "She might hear you!"

"I don't care!" Zoro yelled again. "That was a petty thing for her to do! You saved her, and this is how she thanks you?! How fucked up is that bitch?!"

"Hey!" Luffy yelled back. "Don't call her that! I hate it when anyone says that about her!"

"I can't believe this! Let me tell you this, captain! I'll make sure she pays for this! It's one thing for her to do this to me even when I don't use her money she loaned me, but to you after everything...! ***UGH!***!"

Zoro noticed that the crew was outside, including Nami. He started to approach her, but Luffy grabbed his shoulder before he can move one step further.

"Wait, Zoro!" Luffy pleaded, "It doesn't matter! Nothing does!"

Zoro stopped, but only because of what Luffy said.

"What?" He questioned, seeing that Luffy's eyes were shadowed.

"Nothing matters anymore," The captain quietly said. "Thanks."

"Huh? What for?" As Zoro asked, Luffy released his grip.

"For helping me understand something. I know now that she hates me, probably a little more than back at Drum Island."

"What? Luffy..."

"Now that I know," Luffy continued, "I don't think I really deserve her anymore."

"Hold on a second." Zoro went up to him, clutching the rubber boy's arms. He then whispered, "Deserve her? Are you saying that you... you used to-? No, that you _like_ her?" He corrected himself. He didn't know why, but he corrected himself.

Luffy took a deep breath, a quiet one, and went up to his ear and whispered in response, "I did. I think I still do."

It may have been a simple response, but the way Luffy said those words, it sounded almost... _blissful_. No, it was blissful. Anybody could tell if they heard his voice.

'This guy is a real puzzle,' Zoro thought, 'He may be denser than a ton of bricks, but I guess even he could...'

"Hey, captain?"

"Yeah?" Luffy asked.

"How long did you...?"

"Maybe since back in the East Blue, or at that Sky Island. I don't know for sure."

"Well, we've been traveling together for a long time. You had just about every chance for that."

"Yeah, not that it matters anymore."

"Wait, captain..."

"Are you gonna let me go, or what?"

Zoro let go of Luffy, albeit with reluctance. As Luffy went to sit out on the Sunny's figurehead, he turned back around and walked up to Zoro.

"Don't worry about me," He said with a small smile, "Maybe it's better this way. If she hates me, I'm fine with it. Some people just don't deserve love." The captain then turned a 180 and his legs carried him to the figurehead as the sun starts to set.

Zoro, with heavy resignation, left Luffy to be alone. But before he went to the men's dorms, he glared at the crew, piercing into their souls with his stare, judging them each. He then pointed at Nami, raising questions from them.

"This is all your fault, witch," Zoro said aloud, "I should've made Luffy leave you behind when I had the chance."

All this did was leave some members of the crew horrified, like Franky, Usopp, Brook, and even Robin. Nami, the subject of disdain, looked emotionless, however. Her eyes looked to be dead, almost accepting the insult and the harsh regret from the swordsman. But Chopper and Sanji, mostly the latter, were fuming at his words.

"How... How could you say that?!" Chopper angrily questioned. "She's your friend!"

"I don't remember calling someone as _weak_ or _black-hearted_ like her one! If she weren't the navigator, and if our captain wasn't so forgiving, I'd have thrown this little bitch out of the crew myself!"

"YOU MOSS-HEADED SON OF A BITCH!" Sanji screamed as he ran to Zoro, ready to put him in his place, in his mind, at least. He tried to kick Zoro, but the swordsman expected that, and rolled to the side, brandishing his swords.

"I've tried to be nice!" Zoro shouted, "But now she's done something that I can't forgive!"

"Shut the hell up, you bastard fuck!" Sanji yelled back. "Nami's an angel, you're the one who's done something I can't forgive!"

"You obviously weren't paying attention to Luffy back at Drum Island, dumbass prince!"

All this did was raise some questions from the Straw Hats that did go to that island.

"Drum Island?" Chopper mumbled, temporarily calming down at the mention of his home island. He then spoke up, asking, "What does Drum Island have to do with Nami?"

"Chopper," Nami interjected, still having a void expression on her face. "It doesn't matter. You shouldn't ask for things you don't want the answer to."

"Better keep asking, Chopper," Zoro told the doctor, "If she shuts you up, it's because she knows something she doesn't want you to know."

"Listen here, dumbass!" The cook interrupted, "I was busy making sure that other idiot didn't screw Nami up! Besides, why would I watch him when I have only eyes for my true love?!"

"Love is blind. That just happens to worthless men who keep falling for the wrong woman."

"YOU WANNA GO, SHITHEAD?!"

"Ladies first, pissant."

***BONK!*** Both of them were caught up in the argument they failed to see an arm grab both of their heads. The person then slammed both heads together, knocking the two down. Standing over the two was Luffy, his hair shadowing both of his eyes.

"EHHHHH?!" The crew, minus Robin and Nami, yelled in great shock that Luffy came out of nowhere to end the fight before it got messy.

"All of you, stop it," Luffy said only five words, and that was enough to get everyone's attention.

"Luffy!" Usopp nervously exclaimed, "I was just about to step in and set those two straight!"

"Don't lie," The captain said, making Usopp shut up. He then picked up Zoro and Sanji by their ears, forcing them to get up to avoid further pain. "You two, shut up and don't ever talk about this again. Understood?" He waited to hear a 'yes' from the two and got them both. All he had to do was twist their ears slightly, and get the answer he wanted to hear.

After releasing both, he went back to the figurehead, but Robin approached from behind him.

"Luffy," She proceeded to ask, "Are you okay?"

Luffy turned his head around and showed his face to her. He was scowling, but that's not what took Robin by surprise. It's his oddly green eyes that did.

"Just leave me alone," Luffy said, eyeing the rest of his crew. "I don't want to see any of you. Captain's orders." After staring them down, he went back to the figurehead, disappearing from their view.

"Did Luffy have...?" Franky questioned.

"...Green eyes?" Brook finished. "I saw them too, even though I don't have eyes anymore."

'Luffy...' Robin thought with a twinge of gloom, unreadable with her poker face.

Nami, on the other hand, quietly left the group, heading back to the girl's dorm. As she walked, she felt her avarice and petty wrath creep up on her spine. When she entered the room and closed the door, tears started to stream down her face.

'What have I done?' She thought, sitting on her bed in grief. 'Do I even deserve to be here, with Luffy?' She didn't care if the crew thought of her the way Zoro did, she only cared about what Luffy thinks of her, for some reason.

'Why am I feeling this way about Luffy anyway?!' Nami screamed in her head, unable to shake the captain out of her head. His short and messy, yet oddly attractive black hair. That scar under his eye, which seems to bring out his eyes more, somehow. The way he smiles, even in the face of danger. It's really assuring, even after going through death, seeing hell on earth, and other things that could drive a person insane.

Nami then tossed the entire image of Luffy out of her mind, though not without great effort.

'What am I doing?! I don't like him that way! ...At least, I don't think... I do, do I?'

Wiping her tears, she started to question everything, starting from when they first met, to when he recently saved her.

"No, not right now," she thought suddenly. She'll make a mental note to ponder on this another day. She already had a tough day, her fruit gets stolen and the thief berates her in front of the crew, she doesn't even get the chance to state her opinion on the telling the captain a secret, and Zoro's called her out in front of everyone.

"This was all nothing but a lousy day."

She decides to turn in for tonight, hoping that things will get better tomorrow. But, as always, wishing for a better day is sometimes met with harsher penalties...

XXX

Time unknown...

"There!" Henley exclaimed, feeling relieved. He carefully poured the orange flask into the test tube he held in his hand. It filled up a considerable amount, and he closed the tube with a small cap.

"Done! Flora will be cured in no time at all!" He put the tube in his bag, and took it with him into the tent, but not before pouring some water over the fire he made.

"I'll talk with Straw Hat tomorrow. He may not like me, but I'm sure I can still help him out." He crawled into his sleeping bag and went fast asleep.

XXX

Luffy didn't know how long he was up, nor did he bother to care. He's decided that he's been outside long enough. He went to get inside the dorms but stopped on the grass deck. He felt a dark presence. He didn't know how, but he felt it.

"Who's there?" Luffy called out, but no one came. Nothing showed before him. He looked around the ship some more.

"Zoro? Usopp? Chopper? Franky? Robin? Brook?" He called out to them, but none answered back. It occurred to him he didn't call _everyone_. He took a deep breath and begrudgingly called out the others.

"Sanji?" The cook didn't answer. There was one other person, but would she come?

"Nami?"

"Wrong, little brother," A voice came out from nowhere.

Footsteps suddenly started clapping on the helm's deck. He turned around but saw someone else. Someone he had not seen for a lifetime.

It was a boy, wearing a black top hat with goggles on top, a blue jacket with rolled-up sleeves, a cravat, and cyan shorts. He had blonde hair and a tooth missing, which he would have shown if his mouth weren't closed.

"SABO?!" Luffy yelled, startled by the appearance of the boy.

"Luffy," _Sabo_ responded back, with a small smile.

"Sabo! You're alive!"

"No, I'm not," The boy responded, his smile turning upside down. "I'm dead."

"But you're here, so you must be alive!" Luffy ran up to the smaller boy, with tears beginning to stream down, but then...

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" _Sabo_ shouted, pulling a pipe out of thin air and knocking Luffy off the steps down to the grass on the Sunny. The captain got up from the pain, rubbing his cheek in surprise.

"Sabo? Why?" Luffy questioned.

"I don't want you to get near me!" Sabo exclaimed, "I hate you!"

It took only three words to make the color drain from Luffy's face.

"What?" Luffy still didn't comprehend what his brother just said. In fact, it's almost like he's trying hard not to.

"I'm dead, _Luffy_," _Sabo_ answered, sarcastically calling Luffy by name. "And it's all your fault."

"What? No! It wasn't me! I didn't kill you! I would never!"

"You may not have started the fire, but you're guilty! You know why?! Because the town always hated you!"

"No! I didn't do anything bad!" Luffy shouted, "Sure, I pulled some eat and runs, but I didn't do anything bad!"

"The whole town was probably talking behind your back, _brother_."

Luffy gasped. He knew that voice anywhere. He looked to the left and saw his other brother.

"ACE!" He shouted, only for _Ace_ to run and punch him to the railing.

"Don't try to talk to me, _Luffy_," _Ace_ said, setting his torso aflame. The fire reached to his shoulders, crackling in his ears.

"Why, Ace?" Luffy asked, on the verge of tears. "Why you too?"

"You've killed her, too, idiot. You didn't just kill Sabo, but her as well!"

"What?!" Luffy yelled, recalling a girl older than him, but carrying an axe. "But what happened to Ashley was an accident! I didn't do it! She killed herself!"

"Shut up!" A female voice came from behind him. Luffy looked and stumbled backwards from shock, for he saw yet another face.

She was wearing a torn dark green checkered dress shirt, light brown pants with suspenders, brown shoes, and was carrying a double handed battle axe. Her hair was short and orange, and her face looked similar to Nami's, though the difference was that her eyes were gray instead of brown. Her name was...

ASHLEY. FORMER RESIDENT OF WINDMILL VILLAGE, DAWN ISLAND.

"ASHLEY?!" Luffy shouted, his entire body shivering from great fear. "You... YOU'RE ALIVE!"

"You really are stupid, just as I remember, you annoying brat," The older girl said, sending her axe to the floor, crimson blood seeping out from the deck.

This made Luffy freak out even more. First, he sees his deceased friends again, then something like this happens.

"What the hell is happening?!" Luffy was starting to freak out. All of a sudden, the flag above is turned to ashes, along with the sails and the entire mast! _Sabo_ jumps from the helm deck as it catches the falling sparks and somehow becomes a burning wall!

"Exactly that, _Brother_," _Ace_ said, his body turning into a great blaze. "Hell is happening. And you're on the cruise to it!" He started laughing wildly, allowing the flames to stream on the grass. Pretty soon, it spread across the entire ship, turning it into a sailing inferno.

Luffy started sweating out of fear and from the heat. The fire surrounded him in a circle, forcing him to recall a brimstone-like hell from the past.

"NO!" Luffy yelled, clutching his head, trying desperately to stop the flowing of his memories. "Not that! Anything but that! I hate the fire! I HATE IT, ACE! STOP IT! PLEASE!" He only stopped recalling the smoldering hell when he saw _Sabo_ in the fire, burning up drastically.

"You did this to me," _Sabo_ spoke, the fire burning his clothes and searing his flesh, turning him into a skeleton in seconds.

"NO! SABO!" Luffy reached out to him, only for the fire to burn his hand. He retracted it, eyes leaking tears from the sizzling pain.

_Sabo_ continued burning until he turned to ash, and fell into the fire.

"You did this to me as well, _Luffy_," _Ashley_ said with a sadistic grin, as sharp, pointed rocks unexpectedly flew to pierce her chest from behind. They managed to tear through her tall figure with ease, like a nail driving into a hardened plaster wall, with the assistance of a hammer. Blood came from her opened wounds, and spilled out of her mouth like a waterfall.

"NO!" Luffy shouted, unable to reach her to help. "I didn't kill you! You dropped off the cliff before I could save you!"

"I wanted Ace to save me!" _Ashley_ angrily responded. "I wanted him, not you, as my boyfriend! But you constantly got in the way! I hated you for that, so I wanted you out of the picture!"

"B-B-B-But...!"

"SHUT UP, YOU IDIOTIC, WORTHLESS, PIECE OF TRASH! YOU SHOULD'VE DIED INSTEAD OF SABO THAT DAY! I WOULDN'T HAVE TRIED TO KILL YOU IF YOU JUST ROLLED OVER AND DIED!"

The mad girl then jumped backward off the railing and into the water, the look of pure hate imprinted into Luffy's memory as she fell.

"The entire village wanted us gone, Brother,"_ Ace_ spoke up, appearing in front of Luffy like an ignited matchstick. He grabbed Luffy's vest and lifted him up into the air.

"Ace, please...!" Luffy begged, "We're brothers! I don't want to remember any of this!"

"We are both sons of devils, Luffy. We don't belong with anyone. We don't deserve love from anyone. They'll just die, or turn against us because we are who we are."

"That's not true!" Luffy shouted, trying to make _Ace_ let go of him. "My friends care about me! They won't leave me!"

"If they care about you, then why are they lying to you?"

"What?" Luffy was taken off guard from the question his brother presented to him.

"Can't you see it in their eyes? They're deceiving you, and it's all because you're an idiot!"

"He's right, Luffy." Luffy turned to see who said that. The voice came from the floor above the aquarium. It belonged to _Nami_.

"Nami?!" Luffy exclaimed, "You too?! Why?!" As he asked, _Nami_ pulled out a gun and made a darker version of that signature gleam she has whenever money is mentioned.

"You disgust me as a human being," She said, aiming right at Luffy. "You actually thought I could think of you more than a friend. But we never were even _that_."

"What?! You're lying! I'm dreaming this up! I don't know how or why, but I am! This isn't real!"

"It will be, captain," The navigator said, her finger on the trigger. "And it will be all your fault for letting this happen."

***BANG!*** The bullet exited the pistol, striking Luffy in the head, blood pouring from the back and front. Luffy screamed from the lead marble that went through him, but he's still alive. He looks, and gasps, seeing a different _Nami_.

She has bruise marks on her face and has blood on her lip. She was wearing nothing but a top and some undergarments, but she has scratches on her oddly swollen belly and scrapes on her arms and legs. Luffy was shocked that he didn't notice a dark portal of sorts appeared beneath him and was swallowing him up. He didn't even care, he just stared at _Nami._

"You could never completely save me, Luffy," She says, with eyes blank as silhouettes of large men appear, grabbing her limbs. "You never could, and you never will."

"No... Nami...!" He tried standing up, but the darkness swallowed him up, along with all light. He couldn't do anything but scream one word, one with all the agony he developed.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

XXX

Luffy woke up, sweat going down his face. He was curled up in a blanket, resting against a pillow in the crow's nest.

"A dream," Luffy breathed, feeling slightly relieved. "That's all it was."

He realized that he had a blanket, a pillow and that he was inside the crow's nest. He never went in the nest, let alone get items to sleep with.

"Who did this?" He questioned, then started looking at his hands. "What's happening to me?"

Little did he know, as he returned to his slumber, he would get his answer soon, in the form of a certain young redhead yearning to make amends...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

This is a short chapter, but I wanted to make up the long wait. There is more to come, so stay tuned!


	7. Ch 6- Cause and Effect

**Chapter 6- Cause and Effect**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Flora, and Gibbs © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

The sun came out, warm rays of light hitting sand and sea alike, letting the world know a new day has arrived. The Sunny, still anchored in the position, had the planks down yet again.

Zoro climbed into the Crow's Nest, no doubt for some morning training, and sees a drooling Luffy curled up on the round bench. Zoro wouldn't admit it, but he was smiling in the inside at the sight of his captain. However, he wasn't prepared for what would happen next.

"Nghhh...!" Luffy grumbled, slightly tossing around in his sleep. "Ace...! Don't...!"

Zoro started looking concerned. He went up to the captain, trying to wake him up by lightly tapping his shoulder.

"Luffy?" He asked, only for Luffy to roll off the bench, squirming with closed eyes.

"Please...! Nami...!" Luffy mumbled louder, "Don't leave me...! Don't say that you...!"

"Luffy? Luffy!" Zoro raised his voice, grabbing Luffy by the vest underneath his blanket. "Luffy, wake up!"

"Ngh! I'm sorry! Please don't keep saying that...! Raise my debt if you...! Just put that gun down...!"

"Luffy!" Zoro decided that desperate times call for desperate measures. He started to smack Luffy awake. The only problem was...

"Aw, damn! He's made of rubber!" He then saw Luffy's hat tossed around the room, and his weight lifting equipment with some cast irons he had taken out yesterday. It was when Zoro had an idea, though it wasn't a good one, and it involves some level of pain.

"Sorry, captain," He said, walking to a cast iron that weighed about 50 pounds, with Luffy in his hand. "But if this wakes you up..." He grabbed the iron and held it like a frisbee, and brought the flat surface on top of Luffy's head.

***CLANG!***

"OWWWWWWW~!" Luffy woke up and had a large bump swelling on top of his head. He started leaking out comedic tears as he clutched his head. "GRANDPA, WHY?!"

"Wrong, Luffy," Zoro simply answered, making Luffy look at him.

"Zoro?" He questioned, "That was you?

"Sorry, captain, but it was all I could think of. You were tossing and turning, and I couldn't wake you up."

"You could have just tapped me a bunch of times, you know."

"I didn't think you would wake if I tried that. If I couldn't do it once, what good would it do a second time?"

"Well, it still hurt..." Luffy said with pursed lips, eyeing Zoro in an angry fashion.

"I said I was sorry, didn't I?!" Zoro shouted with an obvious tick mark on the back of his head. Luffy yawned, being let down by Zoro.

"Hey, Zoro?" The captain then asked, "Did you bring me up here?"

"Yeah," Zoro responded, "I figured that you wanted to be left alone when you slept, so I brought you up here, so you wouldn't get cold or get disturbed."

"You could've brought me in the kitchen instead," Luffy pointed out.

"After what that damn cook did? No way. He'd probably beat you up first chance he got."

"Not that I wouldn't have deserved it..." He muttered under his breath, before asking again. "Hey, is it breakfast yet?" Despite thinking about breakfast, he realized that he wasn't hungry.

"Sorry, Luffy," Zoro replied, though mentally kicking himself for not thinking to save some for Luffy. "But you just missed it three hours ago."

"Damn!" He cursed, then sank to the floor, sighing. He had just realized why he wasn't hungry. "It's fine, Zoro. I didn't want anything anyway."

"Huh?" Zoro then questioned, taken aback. 'Luffy wasn't hungry?' He thought to himself, 'Could he still be thinking about yesterday? Or is it about that dream he woke up from a few minutes ago?'

"Besides," Luffy said, grabbing his straw hat, pillow, and blanket, and going to the trap door. "Sanji wouldn't give me anything to eat, even if I did show up." He opened the hatch up, and climbed down, leaving Zoro's sight.

"Luffy..." Zoro softly spoke, then walked to his equipment, ready to lift again.

XXX

After returning the blanket and pillow to the bunk, Luffy walked out of the dorms, but with a glum face on him. He was still thinking about that disturbing nightmare from last night.

"Nami," He said to himself, "If I'm doing bad at protecting you, then say so. I can't figure it out myself..." He then sat on the grass against the wall, frowning.

Franky climbed out of the Soldier Dock System door from under the deck, carrying about two barrels in his hand. He then placed them in front of him, and opened up his stomach and pulled out a bottle of cola.

"Man," Franky spoke as he drank and swallowed his drink, "I thought we had enough of this stuff to travel for a few weeks. Guess not."

He looked to the side and saw Luffy sitting there, shrouding himself in moody thoughts.

'Sheesh,' he thought, 'Luffy sure looks bummed.'

The cyborg decided to try and talk to him. He may have voted against telling him that their flag did get stolen, but he didn't want Luffy to feel like this for the entire week. He's already acted differently since Shiki, and he knows how rattled you can get him enough to resent you, and he doesn't want to let that happen again.

"Hey, Straw Hat!" Franky called out the captain by his nickname, walking towards him. He bent his knees to look over him. "You alright?"

"Leave me alone, Franky," Luffy said, trying to push him away. "I don't want to talk to anyone right now."

"I just wanna know how you're feeling, that's all," Franky responded.

"Isn't it obvious?" Luffy mumbled, "I just have a lot of things to think about, so I don't want to be disturbed." He got up and walked to the helm deck, heading to the figurehead of the ship.

"Well," Franky began, "If you need anybody, some of us will be going to town for a while!"

Luffy stopped halfway up the steps to hear Franky, talking about the other Straw Hats and what they'll be doing.

"I'll get some more Cola for the Sunny and me, Sanji'll get more food, Robin and Nami are gonna get some clothes that fit us, Brook will... actually, I don't know what he'll be doing, and Usopp's gonna get some stuff for himself, and some medical supplies for Chopper."

"Wait, doesn't Chopper get those things himself?"

"Yeah, but there's some moss that'll keep him from going anywhere near the town. It has a bad smell, at least, to animals."

"Oh."

"So, Chopper and Zoro are gonna stay here if you need anything, okay?"

"Whatever," Luffy replied, raising his hand up in an annoyed manner. "It's not like they have to help me or anything." He resumed walking to the figurehead and escaped Franky's sight.

The cyborg frowned at what Luffy did. 'Man,' He thought, 'He just offhandedly threw away what I just said. I only wanted to help.' He went to pick up the barrels, and walked down the gangplank, just as some of the other Straw Hats were coming down to leave too.

"So, are you gonna get everything on that list?" Chopper asked Usopp.

"Yep!" The liar responded, "I get everything you need!"

"And I'll move my bones to help in any way!" Brook exclaimed, playing his violin with enthusiasm.

"Are you sure that I don't have to accompany you, my angels~?" Sanji swooned, a heart on his visible eye.

"I'm sure, Sanji," Nami answered, rolling her eyes as Robin chuckled. Sanji quit his swooning attempt to address Chopper.

"Hey, can you make sure that Luffy doesn't do anything stupid while we're gone?"

"I don't think he's gonna try anything for a while," The doctor replied, "Besides, you and Zoro sort of hurt his feelings."

"It wasn't my fault!" Sanji defended himself, "If that idiot did a better job protecting Nami from the slander that little stain who came here yesterday, this never would have happened!"

"Keep telling yourself that," Chopper coldly said, his hat hiding his expression. "It might give you some comfort to replace your shame. You could've killed Luffy yesterday, you know."

"Yeah, man," Usopp chimed in. "You almost killed him when you kicked him into the water."

"Did you forget that you're the one who set him on fire, jackass?!"

"At least I wasn't trying to harm him!"

***BONK!*** Before the two could start brawling, they were lying on the deck with swelling bumps, and Nami was standing over them.

"Alright, knock it off!" She yelled to the two, before walking down the plank. The two got up, and followed suit, not wanting to feel even more pain.

Chopper then went back to the sickbay, to document some more medicine, no doubt. However, he had no idea that the ship would meet the same intruder again, though with a different purpose.

XXX

Henley stalked the jungle, making sure the predators weren't after him. He took great precautions, stopping every fifty paces to drop a small cluster of moss to ward away the animals.

It only took a while, until he found the ship belonging to the straw hat boy.

'I'm in luck,' He thought to himself, 'It looks like most of the crew are leaving for town. Good. I wanted this meeting with the captain to be purely confidential.'

Henley climbed the tree, making sure that no one was on deck, or looking through the windows of the crow's nest. He then jumped on air and rushed himself to the arm of the foremast.

"Hey, Straw Hat!" He called out to the captain.

When Luffy looked up, he felt like he heard that voice before. He got up from his seat and ran to the deck. When he saw who called him, his blood started to boil over. He saw Henley up there, wearing his brown cloak, and with some bandages on his face, showing beneath his hood.

"YOU!" Luffy shouted, stretching his arm to grab the cylinder-shaped branch, launching himself upward. He stood up and got into a fighting stance. "Why are you still here?! You want another fight?!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Henley exclaimed, raising his hands and shaking them to avoid another beatdown. "I don't want to fight, please!"

"Oh, so now you _don't want to fight_?! What about yesterday?!"

"Okay, okay! I screwed up big time, alright?! I'm sorry!"

"NO!" Luffy shouted, angrier with each passing second. "NO, YOU'RE NOT! You already turned one of my crewmates against me! What more do you want from me?!"

"NOTHING!" Henley raised his voice. "I just want to tell you something important! That's all!"

Luffy huffed in annoyance. 'He stepped all over me and my crew, made them hate me, and now he wants to talk?!' He thought to himself. He then yelled to the shorter man. "This had better be good, or else you'll be wearing more black and blue all over your bitch ass!"

Now Henley started sweating when he heard the Straw Hat's harsh language choices. "Let me give it to you straight," He said, breaking the short and uncomfortable silence. "Something about you... is changing. But it's a bad change."

"You're talking to me like I'm some kind of idiot," Luffy said, growing impatient. "I'm starting to consider throwing you into the water."

"Wait, please!" Henley pleaded. "I don't know exactly the kind of person you are, but I realized something important! You're not like the other pirates that tried to kill me and the people of my island!"

"Of course not," The captain revealed. "Why would we kill you? You haven't done anything to hurt us. At least, until now, you didn't."

"I'm really sorry, sir," Henley apologized, looking solemn as he removed his hood. "I should've given you the chance to speak, rather than attack you. I just... Pirates I've met just shoot first, and ask questions never. That's been my experience from them, though some marines and even civilians aren't any better. I was always paranoid around them. At least, I thought so at first." He bowed his head to the glaring captain, "Again, I'm really sorry."

"At first?" Luffy asked. 'Sir? He looks like he's around my age.'

"Yes, sir," The redhead replied, "I met a pirate who saved my life. A lot of lives, in fact. His name... was Portgas D. Ace."

"ACE?!" Luffy exclaimed. "YOU KNEW ACE?!"

"I just remembered at that moment, when you sent me flying. I remembered that Ace was there. He helped me, back then."

"Wait," Luffy said, "If you knew Ace..."

"Yes?" Henley questioned until a fist came down on his head.

"THEN WHAT WAS THAT CRAP ABOUT EVIL PIRATES?!"

"OW!" Henley cried out in pain. "I said, I didn't remember him until now! I didn't even remember him because I forgot about my past when I drank some kind of chemical that made me lose my memory! I'm sorry!" He had to take a breath after shooting his mouth off with that long sentence.

Luffy stared at him for a while, thinking, and trying to comprehend what the hell he just said. 'If he's honest, then what was all that about...?' He took a pause until asking, "Arlong."

"Huh?" The redhead lifted his head up, if only slightly, asking what Luffy just said.

"You said Arlong," He clarified. "You compared Nami to Arlong when we fought."

Henley sank his head in shame. "That was crossing a line, I know," He said. "I was just angry with how greedy she was, I snapped. I've always hated people who put prices on other people's lives."

"But she did that to a fruit."

"Yeah, I overreacted. And the worst part is, I know exactly why I said those things. It's a toxic side effect from my memory serum."

"That stuff you drink that helps you remember?" Luffy pondered aloud, expecting an answer.

"That's right." Henley replied, "When you drink it, the memories that are forgotten suddenly come back to you. However, whatever you were feeling will carry over, and that feeling will get unstable. I thought it was just a small price to pay, but now..." He trailed off, stopping short of his response. He turned to Luffy and bowed his head.

"I'm so sorry, sir. I jump to conclusions, I attack you, I hurt your friends, and I hurt your crush's feelings, all just because I don't want to lose someone I love. And on top of that, I've made things worse for you just by doing everything I could. Now, I want to make it up to you, by helping with your problems."

The captain slightly blushed from the word 'crush' being used to describe Nami. He shook his head to get the idea out of his mind and asked Henley. "Why did you give me that yucky drink?"

Henley looked down in shame. "Well... You see... Erm..." He had trouble getting his words out, until finally...

"I decided in the heat of the moment, since you were persistent and chasing me, I would give you something. I would discourage you from going after me and killing me, and other people." He raised his hand up before Luffy could speak, "At the time, that's what I thought! I didn't know you were Ace's brother, know about Ace, or know that you were a good guy!"

"Okay," Luffy said, "But why would I kill? I just want to be free! Only bad pirates want to do that!"

"Well, from my point of view, some pirates do want to rule the world. They just have some delusions of grandeur."

Luffy didn't get the 'grandeur' part of the sentence, but he did understand the delusion part, and nodded. He fought against people like that before, after all. People that believed they could take the world for themselves, even if it means using people like toys to do it. He hated people who acted like that.

"Anyway," Henley continued on, "I understand how bad this is and I'm not proud of it either. What you're feeling right now, I mean. That's the bad thing. But here's something you might not like, so please don't beat me up, okay?"

"No promises," Luffy flatly said, causing Henley to gulp, which in turn, made Luffy sweat-drop. 'Where was that confidence from a few minutes ago?!' He thought. 'Better than that, yesterday?!'

"Well, about that _yucky drink_," Henley said with emphasis, "I meant to give you a different one."

Luffy blinked a few times, until he put his hand up to his chin, thinking. Henley broke into a sweat, awaiting his response.

XXX

A few minutes later...

"Wait, what do you mean, _a different one_?" Luffy questioned, making Henley groan loudly and sink to the mast's arm in exasperation.

"You're so slow!" Henley whispered to himself, shaking all over. "Ace never said anything about that!" He perked up in realization, "Unless..."

"Uhh, dude, you didn't answer the question."

"Oh, sorry about that," Henley apologized. "You just took a while to respond, I couldn't take it."

"Well, cut me some slack!" Luffy shouted. "I haven't thunk in a long time!"

Henley sweat-dropped yet again. '_Thunk_ isn't even related to the word _think_,' he thought, 'But that's not important now!'

"When I said, _a different one_," Henley returned to the topic, "I meant a _different test tube_, er, drink. I thought I gave you the one I meant to give. However, it wasn't the right one."

"The right one?" Luffy questioned. "What's it supposed to do again?"

"Well, as I said when I gave it to you, it would help you think clearly, and increase how you were feeling when you were taking it."

"Oh yeah! I remember that part."

"Yes, but since you took a while to respond a few seconds, it's further proof that I gave you the wrong one. You would've thought quicker than that if it was the right one."

"But I still feel crummy," Luffy pointed out.

"True," Henley said, then asked, "Hey, did someone make you laugh?"

"Yeah, yesterday. Brook did a thing and I laughed, but I still felt depressed."

"Did you think _that_ deeply about what I said?"

Luffy went silent. That was the only answer Henley needed.

"Oh, God. I'm sorry about saying that and shoving those awful thoughts into your head. But did someone tell you that they respect you?"

"Yeah," Luffy said, his expression still unchanging. "Brook. He said that he's glad that I'm the captain, because of how I am."

"He's a good man, like that Roronoa guy, though he looks more dead than alive."

"Heh. Skeleton joke."

"Right. And did you feel better about that?"

"For a while, then I felt bad again."

Henley listened well, taking a deep breath and exhaling. He did not want to tell Luffy about the other test tube, but he must. He was raised to be honest, after all. He was even told that not all pirates were bad, though the reverse was also true. But what happened two days ago, was really deplorable. He really let his father down. He let Ace down, too.

"Well, captain," He finally spoke to the Straw Hat boy, "What you're feeling now, is an extreme level of negativity. It comes from a green-colored liquid in a test tube. One of the things it's supposed to do is slow the part of your brain that helps you remember things."

"Oh," Luffy said, "Like earlier."

"Yes," Henley confirmed, with guilt in his eyes, "Mostly for things that you consider are important, and also for bad memories. Speaking of bad, it only gets worse."

"How worse?"

"Look at this test tube right here." He pulled a test tube from his bag, and revealed a tag in the middle, with a skull and crossbones and wording. It read, "DANGEROUS TO USE."

"A skull and crossbones?" Luffy asked.

"That skull here, it's different from the Jolly Roger in the sky," Henley spoke, also pointing to the flag fluttering on it's post above the crow's nest. "This drink I gave you was not meant for you. Now, about the other effect I mentioned. It's supposed to make the subject feel negative, though only when the said subject is at that point."

"And then what?"

Henley paused, then continued. "Then, the subject becomes a different person, in an emotional context. They start seeing every person who's wronged them, friend and foe, in a different light. Next, they start pushing others away, refusing any attempts of apology. If rattled enough, they lose any sight of their values and what they hold as truths. It's only a matter of time until they lose..."

"Lose what?"

Henley made another pause, this one longer than the last, until...

"They lose the will to live."

Luffy looked at Henley in disbelief, combined with dread. But with the redhead being silent, it must be the truth.

"You mean... soon... I'll want to... die?!" Luffy was so shocked, he turned pale.

"I remembered that I meant to give this to a person I hate when I see them again. But now that I've realized what I've done, I went to get rid of it. But then I found out that I gave it to you! I'm sorry!"

"I'll... want to _die_?! Luffy repeated again, making Henley bury himself in his cloak.

"I NEVER SHOULD HAVE MADE THIS EVIL FORMULA EVER!" He shouted, "I BECAME EXACTLY WHAT I DESPISED! WHAT I FOUGHT AGAINST!"

What filled his mind next were multiple images. One of them, a silhouette of a person with men armed with rifles, along with a blue-skinned person on the ground, shot by the person in the center. The hand that held a pistol, resembled a woman's hand. Another image came about, this one showing a silhouetted man with a helmet on his head, holding a large machine gun. Henley purged those thoughts, not wanting to remember any further, lest he goes insane again and hurt Luffy, who had nothing to do with his agenda.

'I'll avenge you, Gibbs!' He thought, 'But I'll never stoop to the level of those godless savages! Not again! Never again! First, I'll help this good man, then Flora, and then...'

"You made me drink this... and I'll ask to DIE SOON?!" Luffy grew more venomous, bringing Henley back to reality. He knocked the tube out of the redhead's hands and grabbed him by the chest.

"Please, understand!" Henley spoke, attempting to reason with the angry captain. "I wasn't out to hurt you! It was a mistake!"

"Was attacking Nami like that also a _mistake_?!" He raised his voice, scaring Henley into shutting up. "Was insulting her also a _mistake_?! WAS MAKING EVERYONE HATE ME ONE OF YOUR _MISTAKES_ TOO?!"

Zoro, who was still in the crow's nest weightlifting, stopped when he heard Luffy's loud voice. He threw down the weights to see what was happening outside.

"Please, Captain Monkey!" Henley pleaded. "I didn't mean for it to go down like this! I thought it was temporary!"

"Our lives are temporary!" Luffy snapped back. "All my life, I went around my village, hearing people call me a freak because I can do things normal people can't! I felt alone because no one wanted me! I heard one of the people saying he was glad I would be leaving soon because he would make sure I was killed if he had to deal with me running through town!"

"Please, captain! Wait! WAIT!"

Zoro climbed down the ladder and saw Luffy, with red and green eyes mixing together in rage, carrying Henley to the other side of the mast's arm.

"NO! I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE TELLING ME OFF LIKE THIS! I'M SICK OF HOW THEY TREATED ME WHEN THEY DIED! WHEN SHE DIED!"

"Wait! What are you doing?!"

"Some of the people of my village acted like they liked me, but they were all just trying to humor me! I could tell! You think I couldn't?!" Straw Hat stopped at the end of the mast, refusing to let Henley go. His grip was so tight on Henley's skin, it could turn blue from the hold. All Henley could do was squirm and panic, seeing the ocean water below.

"PLEASE!" Henley still implored. "YOU KNOW I CAN'T SWIM!"

"LUFFY!" Zoro called out, making Straw Hat jerk his head around. "THAT'S ENOUGH!"

"This piece of crap's part fish-man," Straw Hat stated, still refusing to let go of his prey. "He'll be fine."

"Why? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!" Henley yelled.

"To get you off my ship. I don't ever, _ever_, want to see your face again!"

"Wait, I SAID WAIT!"

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" Zoro went to grab Luffy, but stretched his foot out and hit Zoro in the face, making him stumble. He fell, but quickly caught the folded sail before he hit the deck.

"WAIT!" He pleaded for the last time, "I DIDN'T TELL YOU YET, BUT...!" The captain threw him overboard, but this wasn't the end yet.

"THIRD GEAR!" He jumped into the air, blew into his thumb, and then inflated his leg. He raised his supersized foot to strike down Henley.

"THERE'S STILL A WAY...!"

"GUM-GUM...!"

"TO STOP THIS!"

"GIANT!"

"LET ME HELP YOU!"

"AXE!"

Straw Hat brought his foot down upon the redhead, intent on forcing him to sink.

"STTTTOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!"

It was too late for him. Too late for apologies. He was done, as far as Straw Hat was concerned. He may have known Ace, he may have had some memory loss, but that would never excuse him for what he did. Even if he truly did want to help, it didn't matter anymore.

He sent his foot down on Henley, making hard contact. The redhead felt the harsh impact of the foot slam him into the ocean below. If he could describe it, it was like a ship falling from the sky, headfirst.

Straw Hat's shoved his foot until it hit the ocean, and he didn't have to shove it anymore. He landed on the deck as he deflated, as Zoro climbed down and Chopper came running.

"Luffy!" The doctor called out in confusion, "What was that?!"

"Nothing," Luffy said in his small form, "It doesn't matter."

"WHAT THE HELL'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?!" Zoro shouted, grabbing Luffy by the neck. "You could've gotten me killed!"

"But you're still alive," The captain mused, "I would've caught you if you didn't catch the sail in time."

"But you hit me! I told you to stop!"

"Would it kill you to give me some respect, Zoro? I did you a favor. He won't be back again."

"Yeah, because you killed him!"

"I didn't kill him! He's part fish-man! He'll live!"

"Even so...!"

"There's no 'what if', he's still alive!"

"You know, something's wrong with you, Luffy!"

"I'M FINE! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Luffy immediately ran to the railing and jumped before Zoro and Chopper could do stop him. The moment the captain felt his feet hit the sand, he darted into the jungle, uncaring of where he would end up, or who he would meet, for that matter.

"Aw, crap!" Zoro cursed, running to the gangplank after Luffy. "Chopper, stay here! I'll get Luffy!"

"Wait, Zoro!" Chopper cried out forcing the swordsman to stop. The doctor then pointed his hoof to his diagonal right. "Luffy ran that way!"

"I'm going in that direction!"

"No, you're not!"

"Yes, I am!"

"No, you're not!"

"Yes, I am!"

"Look, you'll need me to help get you back to the ship!" Chopper argued.

"But someone has to stay and guard it!"

"No one's gonna be back until lunchtime! We'll get Luffy back by then!" The doctor changed into his animal form and galloped down to Zoro.

Zoro sighed, feeling some doubt over the reindeer's suggestion.

"I hope you're right," He mumbled, motioning Chopper to lead the way.

"I've got his scent! Let's get to him!"

The two took off, abandoning the ship to wait for them.

XXX

The half-breed had sunk into the ocean, stopping when he made contact with the island's wet sand. He tried to get up, but he felt extremely weak from the seawater. The water pressure was strong, weighing his sins and keeping him down. However, he still struggled, intent on making land.

"Ngh!" He grunted, slowly crawling along the floor. He grabbed the rocks to support him and his ascent back to the land. It was going to be a while before he could make it back up.

'It's all my fault,' he thought solemnly, trying in vain to move faster. 'I was an idiot. But I'll be damned if it ends like this!'

Henley pushed on, seeing the weighed anchor. He thought he could try to climb up the chains with it. He was caught up with crawling uselessly that he didn't notice some monstrous sea serpents slithering behind him with red eyes...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	8. Ch 7- Rampage

**Chapter 7- Rampage**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Cobalt, Flora and Fixit © HatOnFire/Me

Note: I'm really sorry for the delay. As of this moment, I'm coming back on track!

* * *

Luffy huffed and puffed, while his feet carried him across the entire jungle. He grew back to his original height, minutes after sending Henley to the water with his Third Gear attack. Right now, he was running, not bothering to catch his breath.

"Dammit, Dammit, DAMMIT!" He shouted, rushing like the wind. "They all expect me to be stupid, all of them! That little stain thinks that he can come on my ship and be nice to me because I'm an idiot?! Screw him!"

"***GROWL!* *HISS!***" A collective sound could be heard from behind Luffy. When he looked, a cluster of blackest-night furred pantherpines jumped from behind the wall of trees onto the trail given off by Luffy. They all had one target: The boy running in the jungle.

"You dumb cats wanna play?!" Luffy yelled, braking to a halt. After burning his sandals stopping, he cracked his knuckles. "Fine! Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!"

The prickly felines snarled, possibly taking great offense from their condescending prey. The one in front made the jump to land on Luffy. It was simple enough for Luffy dodge it.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" The boy outstretched his arms, and sent them into the face of the panther, making it drop to the ground from impact.

"The hell am I doing fighting like that?!" Luffy said aloud, still steamed. "I should be doing this!" He jumped into the air, wrapping himself with his arms and legs and spinning like a ball.

"Gum-Gum Fireworks!" He quickly untied himself and sent out punches and kick at every corner of the area. He managed to hit a good number of them, but since he struck their bodies, his hands and feet were punctured with quills. Normally, he would wince from the severe stings, but he didn't. He landed, seething with remaining anger, not pain.

The ones that were still standing all turned the other direction to shoot their quills at Luffy. They let out a swarm of their signature needles, and Luffy took off like a shot, running to the side of one of the big cats. He extended his left arm to a tree on the other side of the area. Next, he launched himself to that point, letting his other arm out to strike.

"Gum-Gum Scythe!" He clotheslined the mandibles of his 'would be' predators, knocking out some of their sharp teeth. After appearing on the other side, he elongated his arms again, this time wrapping them as he reached for one of the panthers.

"Gum-Gum Hammer!" Grabbing his target, he lifted him up into the air, spinning him around while repeatedly bringing him down upon the others, one by one.

Even after taking them all down, he still had more frustration he had to unbottle with his fists. The captain ran off again, going in a random direction.

XXX

Henley still struggled against the pressure mounting on his body. He was forced to keep collapsing to the sea floor while crawling to the anchor.

'Just a... little more!' He thought, barley lifting an arm to grab the anchor. 'If I can move... a little further, then... I can climb back to... the surface...!'

With great effort, he grabs the anchor, and pulls himself to it. He tries to grab it with his other hand, and succeeds. Now, Henley makes a more difficult attempt with his drained strength: climbing the chain back to the top.

***HISS!*** A sound came from behind him, startling the half-breed as he looked to see what it was.

The creature itself, has a body akin to a Sea King, despite not being one. It had a cool, cerulean color along the scales, and had red eyes. The head was more dark blue, and the areas around the eyes looks like a black mask. Lastly, the underside was white, including the bottom of the snake's stout. This creature was definitely of snake origin. It's specific name is...

SEA SNAKE: BLUE RACER. UNKNOWN IF BIG FRIENDLY OR BIG SAVAGE.

"Oh, great!" He exclaimed, clutching his chest from the sudden fright. "A sea snake! I thought things couldn't get worse!"

The snake blinked its eyes, obviously in confusion. It wondered what the deal is with this odd fellow. He looked human, but seems to be a fish-man, too. He hissed out with his black tongue, obviously asking who, or what, he is.

"Huh?" Henley questioned, "Me? I'm part fish-man, yeah. I'm just trying to climb up here."

The snake hissed, wondering why the half-breed was climbing the chain of an anchor when he could, you know, swim to the surface.

"Because I ate a devil fruit, and I'll just sink if I let go."

The snake hissed again, in realization this time. Then, an idea came to the marine-colored snake. He hissed out his suggestion, interested in helping the climbing boy.

"You? Carry me to the surface?"

He nodded.

"Okay!" Henley accepted, "Just don't bite down on me, hard."

The large snake hissed in a chuckling manner. He went to Henley and opened his mouth. He closed his mouth, once Henley's cloak was in the snake's jaws.

"Note to self," Henley said aloud, "Certain sea snakes can be classified as Big Friendly. Hey, Cobalt, you aren't a venomous snake, are you?"

Cobalt, the name Henley gave to the large blue racer, hissed a 'no' sound.

"Okay then!" Henley chirped. "You are a Big Friendly! By the way, like the name I gave you?"

The snake answered with a yes, cheerfully hissing.

"Hey, can you carry me away from the ship? I've pissed somebody off up there, and I can't be seen up there. He might kill me, not that I blame him."

***HISS-Sss-Sss!*** Cobalt replied, and swam with his new friend in tow to some rocks. Then, he came up to the surface with a splash.

"Thanks, Cobalt!" Henley chirped, as the blue snake lifted him to a piece of the rock and let him off. "Okay, next order of business." Henley grabbed and rolled up a part of his damp cloak and squeezed some water out of it. "I've got to figure out how to help Luffy out. Though, he definitely might try to kill me."

Cobalt looked at the half-breed, puzzled about his predicament.

"Oh, sorry, Cobalt," Henley apologized, "Maybe I should tell you about what's going on. I... think I'll feel a bit better if I open up to you."

***HISS!*** The large snake understood, and began to listen to the boy's problem.

XXX

Meanwhile, in the jungle, Chopper was leading Zoro through the basin, on the trail of Luffy's scent.

"Now he went this way!" The reindeer shouted, taking a hard right as Zoro followed suit. They both noticed that most of the predators are down on the ground with bruises and bumps on their heads. From pantherpines, and real panthers, to wolves and huge bears.

"Damn," Zoro said, looking at one wolf whose head was jammed into a tree. "The captain isn't playing around."

"That's why we better find him, quick!" Chopper exclaimed. "I'll give him an anesthetic to make him sleep, so we can take him back to the Sunny!"

"But it that really necessary?"

"You said he could've killed you, and that he knocked that guy into the ocean, right? He's dangerous!"

"I know, but we shouldn't lie to him about the flag!" Zoro then stopped in his tracks, making Chopper halt as well.

"What?!" Chopper questioned, reverting to his normal form. "Since when did it become about the flag?!"

"Look, all I'm saying is that we shouldn't lie to him like this! Lying to the captain, who we should always respect and trust, is wrong! I should've told him about this. Maybe, we can-"

"NO!"

Zoro then looked at Chopper, stepping back with fright on his eyes.

"We can't tell him! He'll kill us! He'll kill me!"

"Chopper," Zoro tried to assure the reindeer. "He's not gonna-"

"Remember what you said?!" Chopper angrily yelled, "About Luffy almost killing you?!"

"Wait, you don't think-"

"Yeah! He might do it to me!"

Then, Zoro, letting out a frustrated groan, picked up Chopper and shook him wildly. "Come on, Chopper!" He yelled, "He's not gonna do something like that!"

"Yes, he will!" The doctor angrily retorted, "He'll hate me forever! He'll hate us! We have to keep quiet about this!"

"Chopper, listen to me," The swordsman quietly spoke, calming Chopper's nerves. "Luffy's not that kind of man. He would never hate us all. But you're right about one thing."

"What?" He questioned.

"We have to stop him. I hate to admit it, but that... whatever it is, might be the only way to calm him down."

Just like that, Zoro calmly put down the reindeer. Chopper took a deep breath, before turning back to his walk point form, and continued to sniff out Luffy and follow him.

"I'm just worried, Zoro," Chopper said, "I'm worried about the moment he loses it."

"Hopefully, you won't have to see it," Zoro responded, "Besides, if he should be mad at anyone, it should be me and everyone else, minus you and Brook. On the bright side, he'll trust you."

"You think so?" Chopper wondered, while getting into a galloping position to resume the chase.

"Yeah. I don't think I deserve to be trusted by him anymore, if I have to lie to him."

When Zoro said those words, he started to ponder to himself, though he made sure to run as Chopper took off. He did keep the stolen flag scenario a secret from Luffy, but he didn't lie to Luffy about anything else. Well, that statement wasn't completely true.

He kept his fight with Kuma a secret from Luffy and the crew, but knowing some of them, they may have figured it out, but didn't say anything. The only reason he didn't say anything was, well, he didn't know exactly _why_. Maybe he didn't want to be thanked by anyone, since he didn't do it for the gratitude. Maybe he'll lose some of his pride if he says anything.

No, that wasn't it. There is only one reason why the swordsman didn't say anything. Why he _couldn't_. _It's because he's afraid_. He's afraid that Luffy will blame himself, and get weaker from self-deprecation. He doesn't want Luffy to think it's his fault that he had to feel such excruciating pain. It might make Luffy wish he wasn't the captain, and he didn't want that. That's why, at any cost, he'll take that secret with him, to the grave if he has to.

'No point thinking about that,' Zoro thought, 'Right now, we have to get him back to the Sunny before that little bitch and the others yell at us again.'

XXX

"ACHOO!"

"Bless you," Robin said, picking out a tropical shirt.

"Thanks, Robin," Nami replied, "I feel like someone's talking about me."

"Some people always do. Well, shall we head back?"

"Alright!" As Nami walked down the aisle to pay, Robin watched, with a slight frown.

'When is she going to tell him?' She thought, 'He's already acting different. That can't be a good thing.'

She sighed, walking to the register, standing in line.

'It appears I have to do this one myself,' She then speculated, thinking about Luffy's personal ordeal.

She was so caught up in thinking she didn't notice a marine patrolling the store saw her. However, he didn't bother to detain the pirates there. Instead, he walked in the other direction, pretending he didn't see anything.

XXX

"RRRRRRAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

Luffy was not wavering in his assault on the jungle, filled with wild animals at every turn. Every beast that came his way, he would trounce with little hesitation or effort.

One large warthog was attempting to charge at Luffy, but he sidestepped to the left and punched it across the face, making him fly into the column of trees behind him.

A long python came from behind him, hoping to make a meal out of the raven-haired boy. The snake hissed as he tried to ensnare Luffy with his mouth, but the boy grabbed it by the mouth, and slammed him into the ground.

"Gum-Gum Battle Axe!" He then elongated his leg, and stomped on its head. In fact, he continued to do so multiple times until it fell into unconsciousness.

The angry captain took off again, into a clearing with a watering hole in the center. He also noticed that some large gorillas were right there. It looks like he ran into a herd's home. The gorillas noticed the intrusion, and started to roar and pound their chests.

"Finally!" Luffy shouted, closing his hands into fists, cracking his knuckles in the process. "A real challenge!"

He charged right at the herd, notably the gorilla leader that jumped in front of his group, ready to fight. He leaped again, only forward this time, and sent his arms to strike at Luffy, who backflipped at the right time.

"Gum-Gum Rifle!" The captain distorted his arm as he charged at the heavy primate, driving his arm into his chest. The animal bellowed out from the pain as he was knocked backwards, crashing into his herd.

The four gorillas from above leaped from the tree branches to stomp on Luffy, looking up to see their attack. He twisted his torso, however, and prepared to let himself upward.

"Gum-Gum Storm!" As he launched and spun himself from the green grass, Luffy shot out his arms at a quick pace, lodging them into just about every part of the apes bodies. They fell to the ground, one by one, and Luffy landed on top of a small stream of water.

"COME ON, DAMN YOU!" He yelled, bringing his fist into the flowing water, all the while letting his skin turn a bright pink from the steam he's gathering and blowing out. "SECOND GEAR!"

Once again, Luffy utilized his power up to attack the animals before him, wearing a devilish grin on his face. Any sweat that he was dripping on his head was evaporating from the heat he allowed to overtake his body and soul.

The entire scene of green started to turn to a dark color, as some gorillas started to fall over. The leader saw one of his followers fall to the ground, his pupils blank and frothing at the mouth. If the leader knew words that could describe this, they would be... _gravely disconcerting_.

Only five apes in the herd, including the leader, were left standing. Two of them, one larger than the other in weight, were idiotic enough to charge at someone who had surpassed him, someone who had grown stronger than any beast in one movement. That someone... just vanished in a blink of an eye. Soon after, the two that charged were hit hard.

"Gum-Gum Twin Jet Pistol!" One felt his head smashed in by two clenched fists, and fell on his back. Some of his molars broke on impact and fell out of his mouth. As for the other heavyweight...

"Gum-Gum Jet Bullet!" He felt his stomach crushed by one accelerated fist, coughing out blood. He was knocked back into some trees and fell face first. The large one started regretting gorging from the fruits and small insects he ate in large quantities, and began to vomit. He passed out, from his own smell.

Luffy appeared and disappeared again as he pleased, forcing the remainder of the group to huddle back to back. It did little good.

"Gum-Gum Jet Axe!" He reappeared in midair and brought his outstretched leg on the shoulder of one, and landed. He then wrapped his arms on the stunned gorilla and lifted him in the air, spinning him around.

"Gum-Gum Jet Hammer!" Next, he slammed him into one of his allies repeatedly, like a hammer to a nail, fittingly. Finally, he threw him to the leader, who dodged in time. Now, it was the silverback against the captain.

"You've had your chance, monkey," Luffy growled, despite not sensing some odd form of irony in his sentence, though he was past caring.

The herd leader roared at the boy, and charged at him, not knowing he was already beaten.

"THIRD GEAR!" Luffy bit and blew into his thumb, even while burning from head to toe. He inflated his arm at first, but then the air went into his right hot leg.

The gorilla still charged, not wavering.

"GUM-GUM!"

He kept bellowing, up until a giant, scalding foot was brought into his face.

"GIANT JET STAMP!"

The gorilla leader was done. He was sent far away from the watering hole, crashing into thin trees until hitting a relatively large one, passing out on impact.

XXX

"Did you hear that?!" Zoro yelled, stopping with Chopper.

"Yeah!" Chopper responded, "I think that was Luffy! It came from that way!" He looked to the left.

"Alright!" Zoro said, "Let's go!"

Chopper proceeded to run left, until he stopped to look behind him. He saw that Zoro was running in the opposite direction.

"Goddammit, Zoro!" Chopper shouted, bringing his hoof to his face. "You're going the wrong way! Again!"

Zoro stopped in his tracks, and grumbled as he followed Chopper. The right way, this time.

The pair kept going straight, until they could see a clearing through the trees. Zoro drew his swords and cut the thin bamboo blocking the path. They came through, and saw Luffy, huffing and puffing from the fight.

He then collapsed, shrinking down again for the second time.

"Luffy!" The two cried, rushing to their captain's side. Chopper went to down to brain point and examined his captain closely, frowning.

"Well?" Zoro questioned, "Is he fine?"

"He... used his _other_ abilities again," Chopper murmured, looking up to the swordsman.

"Huh?"

"He's alright," The doctor assured, "But he could've torn himself apart combining his other abilities. He almost did back when we fought Moria."

"But he's fine. You said so."

"I want to check on him to make sure. Let's get back to the ship."

"Okay," Zoro replied, picking his captain up and throwing him over his shoulders.

"Careful," Chopper ordered, "You can't treat him roughly like that. He might feel that when he wakes up."

"Sorry, Chopper. I'll try to be more careful."

The reindeer turned to walk point, ready to dash again.

"On the bright side," He said aloud, "At least I didn't have to give him an anesthetic."

XXX

"And that's why he hates me for sure." Henley said, obviously not proud of himself.

***HISS!*** Cobalt hissed, almost astonished at what his new friend said. He hissed again, albeit with a disapproving tone.

"I know," The redhead said, standing up from the rock he was sitting on. "I'm pathetic. Days like these, I wonder if I deserve to live. I honestly don't, but I have to. Flora's counting on me."

***HISS!* **The sea snake then asked Henley what he'll do now, since Luffy will be likely to kill him.

"I wish I had the answer for that, but I'll think of something." Henley then jumped into the air, and was hopping on thin air again. "I have to go. I can't be seen here. I'll call for you if I need something, alright?"

***HISS!*** Cobalt responded with a nod.

"Okay. See ya!" Henley took off like a shot, hopping across the ocean back to the coast, landing on the sand. Immediately after, he ran back in the jungle, trying to make another plan for helping Luffy.

XXX

"That's right, sir," The marine from the store said, speaking into the receiver. "If Nico Robin is here, then it's likely the Straw Hats are here as well."

"Well done, soldier," Fixit's voice could be heard from the snail. "Don't detain any of them. We'll be over to take them in."

"Sir, shouldn't we arrest them now, while they're still here?" The marine questioned, not understanding the order.

"The log pose doesn't reset until the day after tomorrow," Fixit replied, "We'll have time. We just have to come over and lay out a trap for Straw Hat. You have your orders. The same goes with the other marines on that island."

"Yes, sir!"

"That's all, petty officer. You may end this call now."

"Yes, sir!" Just like that, he ended the transmission. The Straw Hats have no idea what will happen tomorrow...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	9. Ch 8- Negative

**Chapter 8- Negative**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Commander Beau-Père, Fixit, and Ashley © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Luffy slowly opened his eyes, slightly tossing and turning in the bed. He got up and rubbed his head, feeling groggy and a little warm. He also proceeded to wipe his forehead, feeling sweat make contact with his fingers and open palm.

"Ugh..." He groaned, "What happened?" The captain looked around him, and saw that he was in the sick bay... again.

"Sheesh. Why do I feel so hot?" He lifted up his blanket, and a cool breeze reached his skin upon removing the covers, revealing a lack of clothes. He saw some sweat on his slim build, and that he wasn't wearing anything _down there_.

"Oh, I'm naked," He simply said, not understanding what sounded unnatural about that. It only took him about a minute or so for him to realize...

"WHY AM I NAKED?!"

Just like that, he jumped out of bed, trying to find his clothes that were taken off of him. He didn't know who stripped him, and he didn't much care right now. He wanted his clothes, and he wanted them now!

He searched everywhere in that room. He looked under the bed, table, wherever. But he found nothing. Then, the door from the kitchen opened up, showing Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, and Franky.

"Remember," Chopper whispered, "Be very quiet."

But when they looked in the room, they saw Luffy facing the other direction, scratching his head, trying to think where his clothes are.

Franky raised his sunglasses with a questionable look on his face, Usopp and Sanji both sweat-dropped, the latter twitching his visible eye, and Chopper facepalmed to himself.

'Maybe I should've left his clothes with him instead of put them in the laundry,' He thought to himself.

Luffy felt like a draft kicked in. He looked behind him, and saw the guys standing there. He then stretched his arm out to the door, and slammed it shut. Next, he jumped into the bed and threw some covers on him, concealing his nude body.

"What the hell are you guys doing?!" He shouted as the guys came in. "I can't have any privacy for one minute, can I?!"

"We're sorry, Luffy!" Usopp responded, waving his hands in defense. "Chopper said you were still resting!"

"I thought you still were!" The doctor stated, trying to calm Luffy down. "I'm sorry!"

"So," Franky said, "What do you think, Straw Hat Bro?"

"About what?!" Luffy yelled, still steamed about the stripping of his outfit and the intrusion.

"You know, about being your natural self."

"My what?"

"Being naked, duh!" Franky shouted, giving a thumbs up. "You wanted freedom, right? What better way to feel free then _be_ free?!" After saying that, Sanji steps on his foot, making him yell in pain.

"What the hell, Franky?!" The cook clamored with a tick mark on him, "Don't encourage him to be a big pervert like you!"

"Like you're one to talk," Usopp muttered under his breath. Sanji turned to look at him, and Usopp raised his hands again in defense. It did not save him from the heel that would hit his head.

"Really, Franky," Luffy implored, still hugging the sheets close to his body. "I want to be free as much as some people, but not _that_ free!"

"Sorry, captain," The cyborg apologized, though he was raising his foot in pain.

"Okay," The captain asked, "Where are my clothes anyway?"

"I put them in the laundry," Chopper replied, "I honestly thought you would be sleeping for a little longer. Sorry, Luffy."

"It's fine, Chopper. You didn't know I was gonna wake up earlier. Can I get something to wear? Some shorts, at least?"

"Oh, right!" The reindeer exclaimed, then gestured Usopp, rubbing the bruise on his head, to a give a new pair of shorts to Luffy.

"Here," Usopp said, holding out the hand that had the shorts. Luffy grabbed the shorts, and slipped them on with the blanket draped over him.

"Thanks, Usopp," Luffy said, removing the blanket, revealing his trademark shorts were on him. "I feel a lot better."

"Yeah, I figured you would. At least you have standards."

"Huh?" The captain then questioned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing, just saying even a guy like you has standards."

"_Even_ a guy like me?" Luffy started, giving off a glare that could break mirrors. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Usopp looked back at Luffy and saw his expression staring back at him. It was then where he realized he messed up somewhere in his sentence, and panicked aloud.

"Oh! No-no-no!" He yelled out, trying to salvage the statement he made. "No! No! I didn't mean it like that!"

"What _did_ you mean, then?" Luffy asked, standing up and glaring still. "What part of me made you think that _even_ I have standards?"

"Oh, come on, Luffy!" Usopp nervously chuckled, which only served to make him a little more ticked off. "I didn't mean it! You're my friend! I wouldn't do anything bad to you!"

"You set me on fire yesterday," Luffy bluntly pointed out, "I wouldn't say you didn't _do_ _anything_."

"Okay!" Usopp threw his arms in frustration and annoyance. "I don't need to hear this from you, Luffy! I said I was sorry!"

"Alright, alright," Luffy responded, since he was getting tired of this. But, in his head, he thought, 'I wonder if you really are.'

"Really, man! I am sorry about that! I wouldn't hurt you on purpose! None of us would!"

"How about when Sanji beat me up when I wanted seconds that one time?"

"HEY!" The cook shouted, slightly angry but mostly offended. "You were mooching off of everyone's plate, like you always do!"

"It wasn't the first time you beat me, though," The captain stated with pursed lips. "Sometimes, the beating were justified, but not on other times."

"Well, there's this thing called 'discipline,' which I can use whenever I want!"

"Hey, Bro Cook?" Franky asked, raising his hand. "Maybe you should quit while you're ahead."

"So," Luffy interjected, with a frown. "You were _disciplining_ me, when I was doing something wrong?"

"Of course I was!" The cook responded, unaware of how his actions will affect Luffy. "Especially when you ask some inappropriate questions!"

"Fine! That's on me! But what about when I _didn't_ do anything wrong?"

"Oh, please! Since when have you ever done anything right?!"

"Okay, Sanji!" Usopp intervened, trying to avoid a repeat of yesterday. "It's getting close to lunch, so how about you get to work?"

"Wait a minute, Usopp!" Luffy interjected his friend's intervention, quickly blocking the door. However, his stomach grumbled at the mention of lunch. "Damn, fine. But this isn't over!"

"It's never over with morons that shouldn't even be leaders," Sanji snarked, as Luffy left for the kitchen. "Also, no shirt or shoes, then no service for you, _captain_!" He sarcastically called out to the shirtless boy. He could hear the captain's frustrated yell as the sound of a door being shut with a slam echoed.

"Wait," Chopper then questioned, "Then what about me?!"

"Even if you're not wearing shoes, you don't count, Chopper."

"Oh, okay. And Sanji?"

"Yeah?" The cook looked back, only to see a look of disapproval on his furry face.

"Whatever's going on in his mind, it's hurting him. You're making it worse."

"Tch. Good."

The moment that he said that, Chopper grew to heavy point, and socked Sanji out of the sick bay and into the dining room as Zoro came in.

"Don't screw around with him, asshole!" The doctor cried out with fury, stamping towards the cook as Franky and Usopp held him back. "He's not well, and I can't help him if he keeps feeling like this!"

"Hey!" Zoro bellowed, "What the hell's going on here?!"

"Nothing you should be concerned about, Moss-head!"

"Luffy came outside looking pissed," The swordsman said, walking to Sanji with a hand gripped on Shusui. "The captain's problems don't go unnoticed on my watch."

"The problem is that he's an idiot! It's his own fault he can't do anything right!"

"Do you want me to clip off more than your hair, Dartboard?"

"Okay, that's enough out of you both!" The cyborg yelled, "Get yourselves under control!"

The two stared at each other, then looked at Franky. Then, Zoro went to sit down as Sanji went to the kitchen to cook. Once everyone calmed themselves, Franky let go of Chopper, and he converted back to his first form.

"Now that I think about it," Usopp thought aloud, "Why did you remove his clothes, Chopper?"

"Huh?" The reindeer questioned, not exactly understanding what was wrong with that.

"You were gonna examine him, right? If you wanted to, then why did you move his clothes, too? Is there something that was on there you didn't want him to see?"

Chopper started to sweat. There was something he remembered, from when he and Zoro were taking Luffy back to the Sunny.

On the way back, Chopper was leading, as Zoro was doing the carrying. However, they ran into some slight trouble as a few native animals that were regaining consciousness decided to kill them. The two fought as Luffy slept, and went on without trouble. Except for one thing. While Zoro was fighting, he fell face first into a pit of wet dirt, and got dirt on his body. Chopper panicked when he saw Zoro lift up Luffy while dirty, because the dirt got onto Luffy's clothes.

That was when the two came up with a quick plan to strip Luffy and scrub him clean. As Chopper gave Luffy a sponge bath, Zoro would wash the clothes. If he couldn't do it in time, then he would have them destroyed instead. It was a good plan, for one that came up on the spot. The other difficult challenge would be that they would have to keep this a secret from the others, provided they keep quiet about it. But Zoro also said this to Chopper on the way back.

_Luffy would never kill us. He cares about us. Maybe too much. He wants us to be happy too._

Back to reality, Chopper had a look of realization. 'Luffy does care about us,' He thought, 'But why... would I think that?' In fact, Zoro wondered the same question, as the two were walking back. The answer was pretty simple, when Chopper figured it out.

It was because of Usopp.

He planted that idea into Chopper's little, naive brain, and made him paranoid of his safety around Luffy. It was then Chopper pondered to himself...

'Should we keep trying to lie about this?'

"Hey, Chopper?" Usopp broke his thoughts, "You alright there, pal?"

No time to think about it now. Time to answer with an honest truth, and make a simple request as well.

"Well," He began, "He was stressed out since yesterday, so I thought a sponge bath would do him some good."

"But if he wanted a bath," Franky spoke up, "Then he could've used the bathhouse."

"I thought I could take the stress off of him! He was so mad, and I thought he would kill me! I actually though he would, since that's what Usopp said the other day."

The guys started to coldly look at the sniper, who felt a wave of shame come on him.

"Also because Luffy beat up that guy the other day so bad! I... felt responsible... for what happened."

"Responsible?" Sanji repeated, "For what?"

"For... I guess not helping him out with his problems, or maybe for keeping this a secret."

"Keeping what a secret?" Usopp looked the other way, not wanting to face the truth.

Chopper shot a dirty look him for this.

"Don't pretend you don't know!" He exclaimed, "I'm talking about the flag! Maybe we should tell him!"

"What?!" Sanji and Franky yelled.

"You heard him," Zoro chimed in, "We really should tell him."

"It's too late for that," Usopp mumbled with his arms crossed. "We've already decided not to tell him."

"Just because it's a group decision doesn't mean it's right!" Chopper argued.

"We'll just upset Luffy more, in the end!" Franky retorted. "He'll probably leave us if we do!"

"Doesn't matter to me," Sanji remarked, blowing smoke from his mouth.

"I think it does matter, Dumbass Cook!" Zoro seethed, "He's the captain, and if he's gone, who'll lead this brigade?! You?!"

"Heh. That doesn't sound like a bad idea, though Nami would be a good choice. Especially if it means one less idiot."

"I can't believe you would say that, Sanji!" Chopper screeched.

"Me either," Franky concurred, "I think you're saying that because you're mad at yourself. Deep down, you don't really hate Luffy."

"What?" The cook blankly questioned.

"You're mad at Luffy, sure, because you can't always stand him and his simpleminded brain, which doesn't understand anything complex. But the truth is, you don't really blame him for what happened yesterday. You're not angry with him because of how Nami's taking it."

That sentence seemed to have struck a nerve with Sanji, as his eye started trembling.

"No, it's more like..." Franky had pieced it all together. He noticed how the cook was acting around Nami, around Luffy, and now, he had a better understanding. "You're mad at _yourself_."

"That does seem to be the case, doesn't it, Franky?" Robin's voice came from the other side of the room, as the door opened and closed with impeccable timing. This made the guys look at Robin, who had come in with crossed arms. In an instant, the ears that were on the walls disappeared.

"Nico Robin," Franky called out, "Yeah, I figured it all out."

"Well then," Robin said, walking to sit at the table. "Sanji, I think it would be best for you to talk about it as you cook lunch."

"Robin, I-" Sanji tried to object, but he was hushed by Robin's voice.

"Sanji," The archaeologist repeated, "Please. It's important. You'll feel better about this if you do. You wouldn't shut me out, would you?"

The cook walked to the kitchen and put out his cigarette, and sighed in defeat.

"Fine," He muttered, "You win, Robin. I'll tell you."

Robin softly smiled as Sanji started to make lunch.

"You really want to know... how I feel, huh?" Sanji inhaled and exhaled as he started to talk again. "Well, it's because... I couldn't do anything to stop him."

"Him?" Chopper questioned, "You mean that redheaded guy?"

"He insulted Nami, and he compared her to a bastard we beat months ago."

"This 'Arlong' character, right?" Robin asked, putting her hand against her chin. "What did he do?"

"Um, Robin?" Usopp interrupted, "I don't think we should tell you, since it's connected to Nami's past."

"Besides," Zoro added, "Whatever happened between them both, it's swept under the rug, so there's no point in talking about it."

"Alright, I'll withdraw the question."

"That runt made my blood boil, and I didn't even try to stop him," Sanji seethed as he started chopping some cucumbers he rinsed in the sink. "I was helpless... and had to leave it to Luffy."

"And that's why you wanted to blame him for all the things that happened," Franky said.

"It felt easier that way," The cook's eye twitched, as he continued chopping. "Everything bad happens when he's around. Ever since I joined the crew, I thought having him around was just as much bad luck as Moss-head being here."

Zoro stared at the blonde chef for that offhand remark. The sound of a door opening escaped their minds. They didn't even know someone entered.

"On top of that, he's practically pathetic at being a captain and a human being. He can't even clean himself up the right way, so I thought that..." Sanji stopped, his mouth gaping wide.

"What?" Robin asked, wondering why the cook quit talking, until she looked to the entrance. Luffy was standing there, back to wearing his sandals and purple vest, scowling over the things he heard, or at least, what he thought he heard.

"What?" Luffy spoke in an unsettling deep voice. "What _did_ you think?"

"Oh, God," Sanji vainly muttered His name, "Luffy, I'm sorry, I..."

"I'm sorry, too," Luffy gritted his teeth as he walked out the door. "Sorry that I heard the truth about what you think of me."

"Wait, Luffy!" Zoro ran, trying to stop his captain from leaving. "You don't understand!"

"I understand that you guys really do _hate_ me! And that you think I'm useless!"

The captain vacated the kitchen, but it wasn't enough. He stomped his way off the Thousand Sunny, and started to march toward the jungle.

"Hold on a sec!" Zoro persisted. He didn't want Luffy to get the wrong impression over this affair, but his efforts proved futile, as he never expected his captain to turn around and punch him across his face.

The green haired pirate was taken completely off guard. A dumbfounded look was plastered on him as he felt a hurt friend's clenched fist bruise his cheek. He dropped to his knees on the sand, looking up to see Luffy's furious frown.

"**I trusted you...**"

Zoro's eyes dilated for a moment. He thought Luffy was at his angriest from this morning, but this... was fury. 'Is this how that guy felt...?' He thought, 'Is this how everybody who faced him felt before they all got beaten?!"

"I trusted you, Zoro," Luffy's growing booming voice broke the swordsman's thoughts, making him see a frightening, and disappointed expression, completed with owl-like eyes. "I thought I could trust you, after everything...!"

"Wait, Luffy!" Zoro didn't give up yet. "What you just heard, it's not what you think!"

"If you want to say how shitty I am, say it to my face," He quietly raved, "Or keep it to yourself. Either way, I don't care anymore."

"Luffy!" Sanji yelled from the Sunny's railing. "Come back! Please! I'm sorry!"

"He says he's sorry, huh? Like he thinks I'll forgive him like I always forgive some people. Well, not this time."

The captain then walked into the jungle, with Zoro, on the ground, reaching out.

"Wait!" He shouted, "Where are you going?"

"To make my own lunch," Luffy replied, "And to be alone for a while. I'll be back when I feel like it."

The minute he said that, he strolled off in the bushes and the trees. Zoro slowly got up from the ground, and sighed, walking back to the ship, filled with regret.

"Zoro!" Sanji yelled, "Why didn't you stop him?!"

"He'll be back," The swordsman responded, "He doesn't want us to go after him. He'll make his own lunch."

"I feel so awful now," The cook hung his head down. "I had all that rage against him, as a coping mechanism, and I managed to screw it up worse than before."

"Well, it wasn't your fault he acted like this."

"What do you mean?"

"Hey, Chopper?" Zoro called out, and the reindeer came over to them, as Nami and Brook walked into the kitchen for lunch.

"Yeah?"

"After lunch, I think we should tell the truth about this morning to the guys."

"Really? Okay."

"This morning?" Sanji questioned, raising his eyebrow.

"We'll fill you in later, cook. Just get back to cooking."

"Right."

The three that were standing outside then left to get their lunch too. This day is just getting worse for the entire crew, whether they know it or not...

XXX

"Sir, we have a location!" Fixit shouted, rushing into his commander's office.

"We do?" Beau-Père questioned, taking a sip of some coffee in his mug. "Wait, what's this about a location?"

"It's the Straw Hat Pirates! We've found them!"

"Oh, that's what it's about!" The Commander snapped his fingers, standing up from his chair at his desk. "Alright, where?"

"It's the island that's only a few hours away from us, sir."

"Really? What about the log pose there?"

"The island's log pose resets the day after tomorrow. They'll have to stay for a little longer."

"Excellent, then let's get our gear ready! Prepare one marine battleship for departure."

"Yes, sir." Fixit saluted his commander, and proceeded to leave to fulfill his orders, but...

"Also," Beau-Père spoke up, stopping his subordinate from leaving. "When we get there, let's set up some traps in the jungle. Luring the captain out there will prove challenging, but I'll think of something."

"Of course, sir. I'll notify the others."

XXX

Lunch had passed and Sanji and Zoro were doing the dishes as Franky, Robin, Chopper, Usopp, and Brook were sitting at the table. Nami, on the other hand, was in the library, adding the island to her map of the world. Over the course of lunch, things did not look good in the crew. Usopp and Franky had to explain to some of the absent members that Luffy ran off into the jungle, and that Sanji was responsible for it in the first place.

Brook was a little perturbed that it happened, and angry that Sanji did it. Nami was also mad about that, but also at Luffy for running off without anyone looking after him, and that no one bothered to go get him. Zoro snidely suggested she do it herself, since she had nothing better to do, but that earned him a pummeling in the worst kind. Chopper hid underneath the table, worried since he felt Nami wasn't this angry since Water 7, when Luffy wasted all the money they got.

For a moment, it looked like the navigator was going to the jungle to drag her idiot captain out of there and back to the ship. However, what the crew didn't know, was that her heart wasn't up for it. She was called out so many times by Zoro, and she knew that Luffy doesn't want to speak with her. She decided to wait until he got back, since he can still handle himself out there.

When she left the room, the remainder of the crew listened to Zoro and Chopper talk about what happened in the morning. After the lengthy talk...

"Man, that sucks," Franky said, taking a swig from his cola bottle.

"Yeah," Zoro replied, adding a plate to the pile of growing, clean dishes, nodding all the while. "Luffy looked so pissed off, though not as much as earlier. He looked like a beast."

"I already feel bad about it, Moss-head!" Sanji grumbled, using a rag to scrub a wet plate dry, making it sparkle. "Don't rub it in!"

"You should feel bad!" Chopper yelled from across the room, sitting in a chair. "He's already had it rough as it is!"

"Chopper," Brook calmly spoke, "Don't focus your anger at him, even if it's justified. We have to focus of helping him through this time!"

"This redhead that came here yesterday," Robin proceeded to ask, "He gave Luffy some kind of serum, right? I feel as though it is connected to what is happening with his emotions."

"Yeah, that sounds like the case, alright," Usopp agreed, "He was already in a mood before that little piece of crap came along. And he just screwed Luffy up more."

"He knew that," Zoro pointed out, "And came here to try and help Luffy, from what I gather. But then he said something, and that made Luffy angry."

"Angry enough to try and kill someone..." Chopper mumbled, hiding his eyes with his hat.

"Chopper, how many times do I have to say it? Luffy would never-"

"He isn't exactly wrong, Zoro," Usopp interrupted, frowning over his glass of water.

"Shut up!" The swordsman then walked from the counter and over to Usopp, who quickly hid behind Franky. "Luffy's our friend! He'd never do anything like that!"

"But he would surely be upset! He would scold us for even being dishonest with him for a moment!"

"Why do you believe that, Mr. Usopp?" Brook questioned, standing up from his seat.

"Well..." Usopp tried to think about it for a second. Brook was one of the only ones unaware of the pirate flag scenario, so he had to lie without drawing suspicion. "Um... because... I just think so, that's why!"

That statement drew some level of it from the skeleton, who shook his head in dismay.

"That is a terrible reason," He said, walking out the door. "I don't know why you would think Luffy would kill any of you, because he has done so much for each of us, in different ways. He's not like the other scoundrels of the sea, who kill at the sight of disobedience. If he were like that, then why has he not killed us yet?"

The present Straw Hats looked at Brook, who looked at his shipmates with disapproval before leaving. As he left, he said one more thing.

"We should be grateful that we are an honest crew, and that we never have lied to Mr. Luffy. Otherwise, he would be so enraged with us, he would discard us without a second thought of our friendship with him."

Those last words crept across the room as the sound of a closing door swept them along. It practically felt like a slap across the face in their eyes, since Brook was unaware of their great sin.

"Damn," Sanji cussed as he went to light a cigarette.

"Indeed," Robin mused sadly.

"What now?" Chopper questioned, feeling guilty of thinking that Luffy would kill him. "Shouldn't we just end this?"

"No, we still have to keep it a secret!" Usopp shouted, standing out in the open, done hiding behind Franky. "I mean, Luffy isn't that smart! We fooled him once, we can still fool him!"

"You say that like our captain is just an idiot," Zoro glared at Usopp, making him jump behind Franky again.

"Well, he is, isn't he?!"

"He's our friend, Usopp!" Chopper exclaimed, "Real friends don't lie to other friends!"

"Then that means we're not Luffy's friends, huh?" Franky pondered aloud, crossing his arms. "I guess we were kidding ourselves when we thought he were, since he did a lot for us. Maybe we don't deserve him as our captain, simply because we were unfaithful."

Franky then decided to walk off, but turned around to say one final thing.

"Sooner or later, they'll both find out, and when they do, there'll be hell to pay. On _all _of us."

The cyborg promptly left the room, leaving another thought for the secret keepers.

"He's right," Robin said, getting up from her seat. "I suppose we'll have to face our captain when he finds out."

"You don't know he'll find out, Robin!" Usopp continued to cry out, "He may never find out!"

"You don't know that he won't either!" Robin yelled, with great anger that made the room freeze. She rarely gets angry, but when she does, there's always some pain involved, though not this time. The lone woman took a deep breath, and went to leave.

"Honestly, I'd rather face him and get yelled at then keep this secret. All my life, I've met people who kept secrets and people who unraveled them. I've kept my fair share of secrets, as well. But this one, I would gladly spill if I had the courage to." She went out.

"Me too!" Chopper shouted in agreement. "I want to tell, but I'm afraid! But I know it's not my fault that I can't tell! It's yours, Usopp!"

"What?!" Usopp questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You said that Luffy would kill us if we told him, right?! Well, I believed it! I was afraid of getting killed by the same person that saved my life! It's all because of you, dammit! I doubted my friend because of someone I thought was my friend! But you're not my friend, are you?!"

"Wait, Chopper...!" The liar already dug a hole for himself, and it appears he was trying to dig it deeper. "I was just panicking, that's all!"

"LIAR!" The doctor then stormed out to the infirmary. "I was an idiot to believe you! Don't ever come in here, even if you have some disease! I HOPE YOU DIE!"

Chopper then went to heavy point, and slammed the door behind him. The sound of a lock could be heard turning, clicking in place. Usopp looked down to the ground, hanging his head.

"I..." He began, muttering, but his voice became meek. "I... I never..." Defeated, he strolled out of the room. Only Zoro and Sanji were left.

"Shit," The cook whispered, surprised. One by one, all of their shipmates got divided. All of their enemies could never do this much damage to them, not the way they all did to each other.

"You said it, Cook," Zoro replied, putting his hand on his sword. "We've gotta do something."

"I know, but I'm not sure it'll matter now. It's like Franky said, he'll find out, and Luffy is gonna be angry."

"Yeah, but I'm more worried about what he might do."

"Huh?" Sanji raised an eyebrow, not comprehending Zoro's statement. "What do you mean?"

"You know how we've had to deal with Nami, Usopp, and Robin leaving the crew, each for different reasons?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, what if what Brook just said is true? I know what he said, and how he worded it. What if Luffy tries to _leave_ the crew?"

"WHAT?!" Sanji shockingly exclaimed, "Don't screw around when you say that!"

"I'm not, I'm just saying 'what if!' That's all!"

"No way! Luffy's happy-go-lucky! He wants to be the pirate king! He'd never give up his dream!

"If he were still 'happy-go-lucky,' that is."

Sanji just stood silence, thinking about what Zoro said. He then spoke up.

"I think I get what you're saying. He's always smiling, so he'd never act the way he is now, but with Shiki, that runt fighting us, and what happened this morning..."

"Exactly," Zoro nodded. "The idea is out there, sure, but it can happen. Out here, in the Grand Line, anything's possible."

"Yeah. This isn't good. I should apologize to him."

"I'm not sure Luffy will even give you the chance, Cook. You've pissed him off too many times, there's no way he'll speak to you unless it's necessary."

"But it is necessary!" Sanji bellowed, "I just want to apologize!"

"That's not what he'll think if you try. In fact, it may not matter what we do, Luffy's gonna try to push us away. He'll keep doing that until he reaches a boiling point."

"Then what the hell are we supposed to do?! Just let it happen?! Let Luffy leave?!"

"We won't let it come to that!"

"How?!"

"I don't know! But we have to convince him that we still care! We'll admit that we lied about the flag, whether we tell him or Luffy finds out on his own!"

"And what'll Luffy do after that?!"

Zoro opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again. He just realized that this scenario was destined to fail.

"You see?!" Sanji yelled, "It won't matter what we do! He'll leave us and then get himself killed! I just know it!"

"Wait a sec, no one said he'll get himself killed!"

"Well, what if he wants to die after when he finds out?! He finds out his crew, who's supposed to be his friends, lied to him, what do you think he'll do?!"

"He'll... he'll be mad, for sure. But... he'll... he couldn't...!"

Zoro looked at Sanji, who took a drag from his cigarette, and avoided eye contact with the swordsman. Then...

"Zoro..." The cook began pointing out, "You said it yourself. Anything's possible, in the Grand Line..."

"Dammit!" Zoro cursed, and walked to the door, banging his hand against the wall.

"I know you don't want to believe, and I'm having a hard time believing it, too. But when it comes down to it..."

"SHUT UP, PRINCE!" Zoro roared, "You're just saying that because you don't know what to do!"

"Well, yeah! I don't know what to do! You think you're the only one who cares about what Luffy's going through!"

"Damn straight! I'm the only one who does, since it's clear some of you guys don't!"

"Zoro, we do care!"

"If you really do, then why hasn't anyone gone after Luffy yet?"

"You tell me, shit swordsman," The cook seethed, "Since you're the _only one_ who cares about that rubber idiot."

"Sometimes I wonder why Luffy wanted bastards and bitches like you and Nami."

As Zoro said that, he walked out of the ship, and to the jungle, to search for Luffy, again. But...

"WHAT DID YOU CALL NAMI, YOU SHITHEAD?!"

Zoro scoffed. As much as he loved to tear the blonde cook a new one, he wanted to get Luffy back to the ship, and help him out somehow. He took off into the wilderness, hoping that Luffy isn't thinking terrible thoughts already.

'Please, Luffy,' He thought, 'Please don't fool yourself any further...'

XXX

Earlier in the day, Luffy had run off in the jungle to let out some steam, due to the news he received about his condition from Henley and to vent after hitting him into the ocean. Now, he ran away a second time to be alone, since overhearing what Sanji had said. Right now, it's been about an hour since he ran off, and he already had lunch, as there was a boar's skeleton next to a doused campfire.

Luffy rested against the tree, and looked to the sky, seeing that the day was still clear. He slowly got up, and walked away from his site. During this, he contemplated returning to the ship, or staying here for the night.

"Why should I even go back?" Luffy said aloud, "None of them can stand me anyway. What's the point?"

Just like magic, a point did dawn on him. These guys were his crew, friends or not. Besides that, they were on a journey, a journey to the One Piece, the treasure of Gold Roger. And Luffy wanted to be the King of the Pirates.

He did make that promise long ago, to the man that gave him his precious straw hat.

"Come to think of it, where did I put it?"

Luffy noticed he wasn't wearing it right now. It was back in the dorms, but he didn't even bother putting it on. The worse part about that was he didn't even know or care why.

"What's happening to me? Why don't I care about it more?"

It did start with Henley, that redheaded half human, half fish-man, who gave him something that made him feel this way, but he was feeling bad before that. Luffy continued to ponder why and how, and the answer came to him naturally.

"Nami," He concluded, "It's because of her... right?"

He was correct, though he wished he was wrong. It all happened from the moment Shiki stepped foot onto the Sunny, and took Nami away to be his new navigator. He tried to stop him, but Roger's greatest enemy was too much for even him. This caused Nami to choose him over Luffy, and he never lived that decision down.

"She never trusted me, back then," He said, letting his clenched fist hit the tree he was resting against. "Because I'm an idiot...!"

He went and did it again, harder this time, hissing. The boy slowly rose his head, showing those green eyes that should not be on him.

"If only I weren't so stupid! If only I were different, she would never have lost faith in me! GODDAMMIT!"

He brought his fist to the tree behind him, knocking it over. It toppled without fail, and Luffy just stood there, taking a deep breath. He took another, and one more afterwards.

"Maybe... that's why. That's why no one will trust me. I'm stupid, so no one will want to."

Luffy made his arms cross, and looked up again, forlorn.

"Who could ever love an idiot like me, huh?" He rendered those similar words from his past. Those were the same words Ashley said, just before she fell to a watery grave.

He never forgot that moment in his life, not those four years ago...

XXX

It was a few days after an incident on Dawn Island, where two former pirates were killed by the marines in a firefight. Some called the act necessary, as the pirates had bounties as high as the Seven Warlords. Others called the deaths excessive and horrendous, since half of the entire marine fleet was called in. There were dozens of marine battleships that day, it was a miracle that the island wasn't destroyed by the fleet.

In fact, most of the fighting took place at sea, so the populace of Windmill Village was grateful that the pirates tried to leave the island, instead of risking everyone's lives.

The two pirates that died from the marines' hands, were Ashley's parents. Since then, she hated the marines, and began to openly hate Luffy, whose grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, was one of the vice admirals that battled with them. As far as she was concerned, she was right, as every situation Luffy gets involved with goes from bad to worse when he's around. A few days later, she decided she's had enough.

Ashley, armed with a double-bladed axe, made the move to kidnap Luffy and kill him. She would then throw the corpse of the boy off of the cliff, and that would be the end of Luffy. What she didn't count on was Ace discovering her intentions and cornering her to that same cliff, just as she was about to kill his brother. It all went down on a stormy night, when the wind was howling and the water was raging against the cliffside.

_"ACE!" A young Luffy shouted as Ashley's elbow squeezed his neck._ _"HELP!"_

_"LET MY BROTHER GO, NOW!" Ace yelled, standing still as Ashley brought the axe to the poor boy's neck._

_"Don't move another inch,"_ _Ashley coldly said,_ _"Otherwise, I can't guarantee this runt will live."_

_"Why, Ashley?!"_ _Ace angrily questioned,_ _"Why are you doing this?!"_

_"Isn't it obvious?!" The taller girl responded, not releasing her grip on Luffy._ _"I'm killing two birds with one cleaver! This waste of flesh is why my parents died, and why we could never be together, Ace!"_

_"Is that what this is about?! He didn't kill your parents, it was the marines! Besides that, I only saw you as a friend!"_

_"Don't try to defend him because he's your 'brother,' because he's not your brother! He doesn't belong with you, or anyone! Not after what he did!"_

_"Ashley, please..." Ace desperately pleaded, but Ashley was so erratic, she would never listen to reason. There was no more hope for her now, for she finally went insane._

_"Don't worry, Ace. We can still work this out. Just as soon as I kill him!"_

_"I don't get it!" Luffy yelled with tears in his eyes,_ _"I liked you, Ashley! I don't know why you would do this!"_

_"I thought I said why, you little idiot...!"_ _Ashley seethed, backing up slightly as Ace moved forward a little._ _"It's because you exist! You brought me no end of trouble, and I could never get Ace to love me! All because you 'liked' me!"_

_"But... But...!"_

_"I HATED YOU, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT! YOU WOULD NEVER LEAVE ME ALONE OR BOTHER TO TAKE A HINT!"_

_Suddenly, Ace ran to the two and pulled the axe away from Ashley's hand, making her release her grip on Luffy. The shorter boy then jumped out of the way as the two struggled for the weapon._

_"That's enough!" Ace bellowed, trying to pry the weapon away from Ashley. "There's no need to fight anymore!"_

_"No need?! I beg to differ!" Quick as lightning, Ashley kicked Ace in his stomach, and pulled the weapon back into her hands. Then, she sent the broad side down on Ace's head, effectively knocking him down._

_"ACE!" Luffy screamed out in horror._

_"He'll only be out for a little while, miserable runt," Ashley stated, lifting it to attack Luffy. "If you understood anything and knew how much of a nuisance you were, you'd go and kill yourself. But I guess you're too stupid to even do that, so I'll have to do it!"_

_"Wait, Ashley!"_

_"I'm sick of you already! I don't know how Ace could care about someone like you! Who could ever love an idiot like you?! It's your fault that Sabo's dead in the first place!"_

_"No, it's not! It's not!"_

_**"It is."**__ The girl developed dead eyes, and charged at Luffy, who ducked under the first swipe, the moved to the right as she made a vertical chop. The axe then got wedged into the ground, so Luffy took this time to run to Ace, laying on the grass, still._

_"Ace!" Luffy tried to shake his brother awake, but nothing happened. He resorted to slapping him awake, but nothing happened either. "Come on, Ace! Please!"_

_"Have you made your peace with filthy existence, runt?"_

_"Please, Ashley!" Luffy made one last attempt to reason with his crush. "I don't want to hurt you!"_

_"Well, that's too bad," Ashley said with a disturbing grin, "I want to hurt you. I want to do so much more than that. I want to kill you, and kill you, and kill you, and kill you, and kill you!"_

_Luffy took a deep breath, feeling unusually calm. He then opened his eyes, as Ashley came running with murderous intent._

_"Then, that's it," He softly mumbled, "I don't have any other choice."_

_Ashley continued to swing wildly, but Luffy kept on running backwards, careful not to get his body hacked up by the insane girl in front of him. He jumped and backflipped to get some distance between them, and stretched out his hand, balled up into a fist._

_"Gum-Gum Pistol!" He sent it towards Ashley, but she managed to dodge it, and had Luffy not pulled his arm back in time, he wouldn't still have a right arm._

_"You don't get it, do you?" Ashley gloated, walking to her prey. "You're made of rubber, and you can stretch your limbs, but all it takes is a chop from this axe, and you're dead meat!"_

_'Damn, she's right!' Luffy cursed in his head, 'She's always used an axe, so she shouldn't have trouble trying to kill me with it! I've gotta do something to beat her! But how?' That was when he remembered, he was on the side of the cliff._

_"I'd say it was nice knowing you, piece of trash, but I've always hated you!"_

_Ashley then made the dash to kill, her axe by her side. She just needed to swipe it across his neck, and it's all over. But Luffy had a plan, or at least, a desperate trick._

_Like a madman, Ashley swung her weapon, as Luffy moved backwards again and again, until he got close to the edge. It's now or never. He let her try again, deliberately falling on his back._

_Ashley cruelly gleamed. This was her chance. It was her moment to paint her and Ace's future with the blood of that troublesome waste of space. She ran to bring the axe down on Luffy's face, but he caught it in time, then prepared to use his leg._

_"Gum-Gum Volcano!" In a speedy succession, Luffy drove his foot up to Ashley's belly, making her fly in the air. She then came down to the edge of the cliff, catching it using her axe._

_"Crap!" She cursed, as she couldn't reach the top, and the rocks wouldn't help her much. She could only hang on to the axe that was jammed into the rock. The problem was, she started to lose her grip. If she lets go, the rapids down there would bring her below the ocean floor, and she would drown._

_"Ashley!" Luffy called out, running to the edge and bending down on his knees. "Give me your hand!"_

_"What?!"_

_"Please! Grab it!"_

_"Fuck that! I'd rather die than be saved by someone who doesn't deserve to live!"_

_Luffy just stood there, staring with surprise at her. She's actually refusing his help. Doesn't she know that the rapids could swallow her up?!_

_"You'll remember this until the day you finally die! You're the devil's spawn, so no one will ever want you as a friend. No woman alive will ever _

_**love you!**__"_

_She had said her final words, and let go of the axe, dropping to the waters below. She stared with contempt at Luffy, up until she hit the drink._

_Luffy just stood there in shock, hurt by the stinging words of someone he cared about, or at least, he thought he did. He had his arm reached out, but then pulled it back, as there was no need to let it hang anymore._

_"Ugh..." Ace got up, slowly rubbing his head. "Luffy?" He looked out, and saw his brother just standing there, pale. "Hey, Luffy! Are you alright?! What the hell happened?!"_

_Luffy didn't respond. All he did was think about what Ashley said, in those final moments._

He never got over what happened that day. He did his best to put it all out of his mind, and succeeded, only because he met the people that would be his crewmates.

XXX

Back to present day...

"She was right all along, wasn't she?"

Luffy was walking through the jungle, hugging himself. He didn't know where he was going, but he didn't care. He just wanted to be alone.

"Nami hates me, just like Ashley. I really am the son of the devil. No one really loves me."

"LUFFY~!" A voice called out through the tropical forest. No doubt, it was Zoro's voice. "Luffy, where are you?!" From the sound of it, Zoro's voice sounds slightly hoarse. He must have been calling for a while now.

"Zoro?" The captain whispered, trying not to get his attention. He kept walking further down the line he walked, not wanting to talk with anyone.

"Luffy!" Zoro still kept shouting, "Luffy! Where are you?!"

Luffy was starting to get tired of this. 'What does he want?' He pondered, 'To drag me back and make Nami yell at me again? I'm not taking it!' Then, Luffy shouted for Zoro to hear...

"GO AWAY, ZORO! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

In another part of the jungle, Zoro heard what his captain just said, and was unnerved, to say the least.

"Well, this isn't good," He mused as he ran to the sound of Luffy's voice. "At least I know where I'm going now!"

Luffy started dashing across the trail, mentally kicking himself for giving himself away like that.

"Luffy, come back!" Luffy heard Zoro yell from behind, seeing that he managed to get right behind him.

"I said, leave me alone!" Luffy repeated. "What part of that didn't you understand?!"

"The 'leave' part!" Zoro replied, slowly catching up to Luffy. "Come on, Luffy! You don't have to deal with this alone!"

"Deal with what?! The fact that you guys don't really care about me?! I figured that part out already!"

"Luffy, the Cook was just being a thoughtless moron! He said those things because he was mad at himself!"

"Don't lie too, Zoro! I can't take this!"

"I promise I'm not lying to you!"

"Well, too bad! I don't believe you!"

Luffy then jumped to the left and ran through the bushes as Zoro followed Luffy... but turning in the opposite direction.

"What the hell?!" Luffy shouted, making Zoro stop and look behind him. "Wow, you suck, Zoro!"

"I suck?!" The swordsman questioned, "How?! I'm following you!"

"No, you're not! You're gonna go the wrong way!"

"No I wasn't! I knew where I was going!"

"Yeah! The wrong way!"

"Oh, just shut up, captain. Let's go back to the Sunny."

"Why should I? They'll all yell at me for being an idiot."

"You mean Nami, or the other guys?"

"Well-"

"Don't answer that, Luffy," Zoro interjected, "Besides, even if the witch tells you off, who cares? You still have us."

"What are you talking about? Sanji-"

"He said those things, sure. But he's sorry. He said that he was mad at himself, that's why he was rude to you and talked crap about you."

Luffy raised an eyebrow and stared at Zoro. He has some doubts about what his friend said. On one hand, he could be right, since Sanji seemed sincere about his apology. On the other hand, it could be just a desperate act to win back his favor.

"Look, Luffy," Zoro said, "If you're not going to come back for the guys, or me, can't you do it for yourself? I know your feeling screwed up inside your head, but you can't stay out here. Come back to the Sunny."

Luffy took a deep breath, preparing to make his decision. It took only a few minutes.

"Fine," He responded, "I'll come back. But only because you wanted me to."

"Thank you, Luffy," Zoro expressed his gratitude, though maybe too soon.

"Don't thank me yet. Sanji has a lot of explaining to do. Besides, I still think you guys treat me like a moron, and I won't deal with anymore crap from you or them."

"Sure, captain," Zoro replied, putting a hand on his captain's shoulder. "You know they care about you, even if they don't respect you, right?"

"Sometimes, I don't get why they want me around if they hate me."

"The crew doesn't hate you, Luffy. If they did, then why did they join you?"

"Maybe because they have nothing left to lose."

"Well, maybe, but that doesn't mean-"

"It doesn't matter anymore, Zoro. I'm fine with it."

"What?" The swordsman asked to clarify.

"It's like I said yesterday. I won't dwell on it, so don't try to."

"But Luffy-"

"Captain's orders," Luffy simply spoke, and that made Zoro give up. He knows when Luffy sets his mind to something, there's no turning it around. And when he says that, Zoro knows he has to obey.

"Alright, Luffy," Zoro submitted, taking his hand off of Luffy. "If you say you're fine."

"Let's just go back."

The two then proceeded to head back to the Sunny, except Luffy stopped for a moment.

"Hey, Zoro?" Luffy asked, "Where is back?"

Zoro immediately facepalmed and groaned.

XXX

"***HUFF!*** Well, we found the ship."

"***HUFF!* **Yeah, but no thanks to you, Zoro."

"HEY!"

Luffy and Zoro were resting against the mast and covered by its shade as they both panted.

Here's the gist of what happened. Since the two ran far away from the Sunny, they both ended up lost. Because of that, they both decided to do the most logical thing. Run around the jungle until they find the coast. It was a bad idea. It was even worse because Luffy let Zoro lead him. On top of that, it took both of them about three hours until they got back to the Sunny. Now both are tired, and are in need of some rest.

"This..." Luffy tried to begin, except he was still catching his breath. "Is... the last time... I let you... lead."

"Whatever..." Zoro responded, also out of breath. "At least... we made... it back."

"I... told you... we should've... ah, forget it!" Luffy fell over onto the grass, breathing hard still.

"Yeah... I'll get some sake." "Yeah... I'll get some sake."

Zoro then got up and went to the kitchen to get a drink, even though there was the chance Sanji would kick him out for insulting Nami just hours earlier. Next, Brook came out of the dorms with his violin in hand. The musician almost didn't notice Luffy resting on the ground.

"Oh, Mr. Luffy!" Brook called out, "You're back!"

"Oh, hey Brook!" Luffy replied, waving his hand. He still breathed heavily, almost being well again.

"You never joined us for lunch," The dead man stated, "Nami was a bit annoyed, to say the least."

"I caused trouble just by not being here?"

"She was irked that you ran off without telling us, but was more so with Sanji, since he said that he drove you away. She insisted we bring you back here, but ultimately decided to wait for your return."

"Huh," The captain stood up from his spot, brushing his shorts. "Guess she'll have some things to say to me when she finds out I'm back."

"You're damn right I have some things to say!"

Luffy was taken by surprise in that moment, to say the least. It was Nami who said that, and she was looking irritated now, walking down the stairs from the dorms over to Luffy.

"OH! Uh... Hey, Nami!" Luffy said, slightly sweating and nervous.

***BONK!* **Nami had once again brought her fist down on Luffy, hard.

"OW!" Luffy cried out in pain. He knew that this was going to happen again, he just knew it.

"Don't 'hey' me, mister!" Nami yelled, making Brook tiptoe away from the pair. "Where were you?! Do you know how long you were gone?!"

"What? They didn't say why I left?"

Nami huffed, then crossed her arms and closed her eyes. "No, they did, but you ran off again! You did the one thing you weren't supposed to do!"

"Look," Luffy then tried to reason with Nami, even though it might earn him another beating. "Yesterday was a terrible day for me, and things somehow got worse for me today. Can't you cut me a break?"

"Yesterday sucked for me too, you know! I just... I was... thinking..."

"About what?"

"It doesn't matter. You wouldn't understand if I told you."

"What wouldn't I understand?"

"Look, don't worry about it. I know you never wanted to run away like you did today."

"You did?"

"Sanji told me. He was mean to you, huh?"

It was Luffy's turn to take a deep breath. He spoke up, saying...

"Well, that's the thing. Zoro said that he was angry at himself, and said those things about me because he needed somebody to be mad at."

'Dammit, Sanji!' Nami mentally cursed, though her expression didn't show it.

"So," Nami inquired, "He didn't mean those things after all?"

"I'm trying to figure that out, still," Luffy said.

"Well, that's alright. At least I know you didn't mean to run off today."

"Yeah, I'm glad you get it."

Nami slightly chuckled. "Of course I do! You never meant for it to happen!"

"So, does that mean you forgive me for running off twice?"

"Yeah," Nami smiled, but the sweet look on her face turned into a confused one. "Twice?"

"Huh?"

"Luffy, did you say_ twice_?"

"Uhhh..." Luffy started to sweat, "Yeah? Why?"

Nami then grabbed Luffy by his vest, growling at him.

"You ran away_ twice_?!" She yelled out.

"Wait, Nami!" Luffy then raised his hands for a defensive measure. "I thought you understood-"

***BONK!*** Too late for Luffy. He felt a smoldering fist hit his head, hard.

"OWWWWW!" He screamed, holding his head. But then, Nami started to shake him.

"YOU RAN AWAY TWICE?! WHAT THE HELL, LUFFY?!"

"Hey, hey! Why do you keep hitting me?!"

"You ran off again! When?!"

"Err..." Luffy started up, sweating still, and bracing himself. "When you and the others left for town."

Nami then shoved him away from her, incandescent beyond belief. She thought her day started alright, pilfering the pockets of some people in town, but then this happens. Even worse, she finds out Luffy ran away twice today.

"Why are you angry? If you're worried somebody saw me, there wasn't a person in sight!"

"Someone else could've been in the jungle, Luffy! They could've seen you, and report to the marines!"

"Come on, Nami!" Luffy responded angrily, "No one saw me! Get over it!"

Nami smacked her face with her hand, irked. She then spoke up, slightly simmering.

"Luffy, do you know why I didn't want you to go off on your own? It's because trouble always finds you. You don't understand this, but we can't just expect to go everywhere when we feel like it."

"Are you trying to say I don't know what I'm doing?"

Nami scoffed at the question. "Since when do you _ever_ know what you're doing?! You never do!"

"Oh, is that why you decided to go off with Shiki?!" He exclaimed, albeit inflamed.

Nami was taken aback by what Luffy said. "What?"

"You think I'm an idiot! That's why you decided to stop Shiki on your own!"

"You really are an idiot, thinking like that! I didn't want him to kill you or the others!"

"But you didn't have faith in me! You thought I couldn't beat that bastard!"

"Are you always this pigheaded?! Don't you care that you're still alive?!"

Some of the members of the crew heard of the arguing that was going on outside, and wisely stood away from the deck as much as possible. Sanji, though, was almost ready to run in there.

"This is not what I wanted," He mused, "And I really don't want to hurt Luffy, but if he does something to Nami, I'll-"

"Wait," Robin said, "Luffy wouldn't do that. He's angry now, but I fear whatever we do, the end result will be the same."

"End result?" Franky inquired, "You know what'll happen, Nico Robin?"

"Unfortunately, no. I can't see into the future. I'm not sure anyone can."

Luffy started growling, and his eyes went from green to red in a heartbeat.

"I risked my life to get you back! I trusted you back there!"

"And I thought you understood what I was doing!" Nami countered, almost ready to punch Luffy. "I knew you'd fight to get me back from him!"

"Did you also know that I'd be pissed over that message you left?!"

"I thought that you understood it! Even you! But what was I thinking, believing that an idiotic, gluttonous, waste of space could ever understand anything!"

"If you had more faith in me, then maybe I could've!"

"Like hell you would! It's a wonder I even put up with you!"

Luffy felt his skin heat up. Things were about to get even more ugly than they already were.

"Right back at you! I've put up with you being greedy for a while, but now I'm sick of it! You put a load of debt on me over a dumbass coat!"

"You ruined it, you jackass! You always ruin everything! Who could ever love an idiot like you?! ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE THE **DEVIL'S SON?!**"

Just like that, Luffy reflexively grabbed Nami's shoulders and gave her the most wrathful look. He growled right in her frightened face, lifting her up from the ground, but then blinked, and saw what he was doing. Even the crew couldn't believe what was happening before them. Their captain, Luffy, had lifted Nami from the ground, and not in a good way. He was like a snarling beast for a moment, then back to normal.

Luffy, horrified at what he was doing, put Nami down slowly, and took his hands off of her. He took a few steps back, and noticed that his crew was all right there. Zoro and Franky were restraining Sanji, though it looked like some of the others were about to intervene. Luffy then scowled at Nami, dispersing her relief.

"Don't. Ever. Call. Me. The. Devil's. Son. Again."

He said those words as cold as possible, and walked to sit on the figurehead.

"Shit, man," Usopp muttered, still disturbed at what he saw.

Zoro started to slightly sweat, letting Sanji go to run to Nami, as the others did as well. The swordsman looked over to the figurehead, looking stern.

'It's getting worse,' He thought, 'I'm worried he'll snap again tomorrow...'

Unfortunately, Zoro had no idea how right he was. Surely, tomorrow is the day, the day Monkey D. Luffy falls over the edge. The day the boy who yearned to be the Pirate King, will ask for only one thing.

**DEATH.**

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	10. Ch 9- A Puppet Captain

**Chapter 9- A Puppet Captain**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Cobalt, and Ashley © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: (Alright. Are there any excuses as to why this hasn't been uploaded for a month. There are, but none that explains why it should've taken this long. But, I apologize for the delay, and hope your beginning of Summer was a rewarding as mine, Anyway, I refuse to leave something like this unfinished. So, here's a new chapter! Enjoy and stay tuned for more!)

* * *

(WARNING: MORE DISTURBING THEMES WILL BE APPROACHING, ALONG WITH ANOTHER DISTURBING NIGHTMARE. TURN AWAY IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS. THIS WILL BE YOUR ONLY WARNING.)

Hours went by, and day became night in but an instant. The island was once again under the night sky, and the animals of the jungle slept peacefully. However, there was one inhabitant that didn't sleep.

At this moment, Henley is at the cliffside on the edge of the island, and the giant sea snake, dubbed 'Cobalt' by the redhead half-breed, was raising his head up to the cliff.

"Okay," Henley said, putting a piece of paper inside an extremely small box. The box itself was made from pieces of melted down metals, heated and then meshed together to create this cubed container. Next, he placed it inside a small barrel with a long, black strap. "Just in case I can't save Captain Monkey, I want you to find someone who can reach out to him. Can you do it?"

***HISS-Sss-Sss!*** The giant sea snake answered with a nod and his trademark call.

"Okay, the person that I want you to find is... Portgas D. Ace."

***HISS-SSS?!* **Cobalt hissed in shock. He had to find one of the most dangerous pirates in the Grand Line?! He asked why, knowing that there's a chance _Fire Fist_ freaking _Ace _will roast him just for appearing in front of him.

"Don't worry, big guy!" Henley calmed the sea serpent, raising both his hands and gesturing him to relax. "He won't hurt you if you give this to him. I'll jump down and attach it to your neck."

True to his word, the redhead leaped off of the edge and went to Cobalt's level. Before he could descend further to the ocean again...

"Moonwalk!" Henley hopped on the invisible air and kept himself at a specific point so he could attach the barrel to Cobalt's neck. It only took a few seconds for him to attach the strap together around the neck.

"There!" He shouted with success in his voice. "You should be ready to go, now!"

***HISS-Sss-Sss-Sss?*** Cobalt then hissed with a tone of question that only one who understands animals could discern. He wanted to know why he was going to find Ace.

"Well, he's the captain's older brother, and I want you to find him."

It made sense to the reptile's mind. Find a family member that can help when all else fails. So, he has to find Portgas D. Ace, the brother of this Monkey D. Luffy, and... Wait, what?

***HISS-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!*** For a minute, Cobalt's red eyes jumped out of its sockets. Luffy's brother is _Ace_?! This was too much for him to take, he almost fainted.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" Henley yelled, grabbing Cobalt's tongue on reflex and pulling him up with it. "Don't conk out on me! I need you, dangit!"

***HISS-SSS-SSS-SAA!*** The huge snake hissed venomously (pun not intended), saying to never, _ever_ pull on his tongue. He then rose upward and slammed his head into Henley, sending him back up to the cliff.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" Henley replied, rubbing the top of his head. "You'll still deliver that message, won't you?"

***HISS-Sss-Sss!*** Cobalt answered back that he will, since the half-breed fed him well. He also made an inquiry, wondering what Henley will do now, if he's going to stay behind.

"Me?" Henley pointed to himself with a questioning look on his face. "Oh, right. I have to stay here, and see how things develop with Straw Hat. It won't be pretty, though."

The thought made Cobalt quiver. He thought to himself, 'I'm sure glad that I'm just going to find Ace, then. Seeing someone break down because of what you've done, that's too much...'

Subsequently, the sea snake had another thought, and he decided to share it with Henley. He hissed, asking if Ace can even arrive in time to help out.

"Well, I don't know if he can come quickly in time, though. But still, it helps to have a loved one pick you up when you're feeling down."

Henley made a small smile over that remark he made. But then, he frowned, thinking to himself...

'If _he_ saw what I did... If _he_ knew... No, _he_ probably knows, now. I bet _he'd_ be disappointed in me.'

***HISS!*** Cobalt hissed, bringing the redhead back to reality. He asked if he should leave now.

"What? Oh! Sure, but make sure you rest, too!"

***HISS-Sss-Sss!*** Cobalt made a slight remark, telling his _mother_ not to worry. He also added that he wants to see him again soon.

"We will, buddy!" Henley replied, waving his hand. "See you later!"

***HISS-Sss-Sss!*** With a last goodbye for now, Cobalt sinks into the sea, slithering through the current to search for Ace. When he left, Henley thought back to his encounter with Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates.

"I overreacted when we met," He rhetorically spoke, "And now, I screwed him up. I hope I can fix this, somehow. 'Cause if he dies..." He paused before finishing his thought. "If he dies, it's all my fault..."

The redhead looked up at the moon, and glumly went to his knees as he looked down to the ocean to see his reflection.

"_Gibbs_... What I've done can't be taken back. That's why I'll _die_ for the sins I made, for the pain I caused to those I knew and those I don't. I'll die once I've fulfilled my goals. This, I swear..."

XXX

Dinner was done, but not everyone was in the best of moods. Especially not Luffy. Right now, he was still sitting on the ship's figurehead, not even moving an inch. He was starving from hunger, having skipped out on dinner. He couldn't eat, let alone face his crew or Nami, without anyone being reminded of the incident earlier.

Not too long ago, the crew witnessed an unsightly shouting match between Luffy and Nami, which almost ended with the captain doing something he would regret. The idea of hurting a friend was something the captain did not want to go through again, not after what happened with Usopp back at Water 7.

Some of the Straw Hats offered to talk to Luffy, with the exception of Nami, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper, but he brushed them off. He didn't want to be disturbed for the rest of the night, and it was an order. That forced them to give up, and hope Luffy would be more cooperative for tomorrow.

"I can't believe I did that..." He said, bringing his hands up to his face in horror, recalling his grasp on Nami's shoulders. He actually thought of shutting her up when she said those words yesterday. The part that alarmed him, however, was that he didn't even care how or what. He just wanted her to stop talking.

"I almost... hurt her...! I... I could've killed her!"

Luffy started to slam his right hand on the figurehead, only making his hand swell, barely even leaving a mark on it. He rose his hand up again, and repeated the action multiple times, the difference being he was screaming out profanities and insults directed towards himself.

"YOU MISERABLE, PIG-HEADED IDIOT! GODDAMMIT ALL!" Luffy shouted, though he wailed out much worse words following it. Only moments after it, came silent tears from the lad.

Luffy wiped the tears off his face and stood up from his spot. He proceeded to move from the figurehead and on to the helm deck. There, he rose a question to himself.

"Can I... trust them?" He contemplated, biting his lip as the wind started to pick up in behind of him. The cold breeze blew, making Luffy's hair flap as his eyes sunk into the shadows of his hair. "Do they even trust me? I'm just an idiotic, gluttonous waste of space to them. Who could ever love someone like that?"

He brought his arms close together, trying to keep himself warm from the sudden change in temperature. It was time to get inside. He went off of the figurehead and went down to the men's dorms. The captain went to open the door, then got inside, closing it.

Careful not to disturb the other guys sleeping in their bunks, Luffy crept up to his bunk, and thought about getting in it. But, some inkling feeling kept him from doing so.

'I can't,' Luffy thought, 'I just can't be with anyone right now. I should just go sleep in the nest again.'

The captain grabbed his blanket and pillow, then quietly tiptoed to the door. He opened it, and left the dorms and his friends.

Closing the doors behind him, Luffy then strolled to the grassy deck and went to the ropes on the railing. He wrapped the blanket around the pillow and his body, and began his ascent to the crow's nest. It was quick and easy, and he got inside without trouble.

Upon arriving, he placed the pillow on the floor and wrapped himself up with the blanket and lied down on it.

"First that guy tells me I'll die," Luffy muttered to himself, "Then Sanji insults me behind my back, and now Nami hates me for existing and ruining her stuff. I bet it's also 'cause I'm the son of that deadbeat."

Luffy closed his eyes, trying to sleep. As he did, he said one final thing...

"_No one loves me after all, huh? I guess I should've known_..."

XXX

The sun was bright, shining down on a relaxing soul. That soul was wearing his straw hat over his eyes as his exposed body felt the warmth of the sun's rays. He could also feel the wind blowing against him and the trees behind him. The sounds made his mind calm. Relaxed. At peace. It was such a long time since he felt so eased.

"It feels so good here," Luffy said aloud, "If I didn't wanna be the Pirate King, I'd stay here forever. But, I have to continue."

He motioned to stand up, and the wind instantly picked up. It was almost like a hurricane was rushing through here, though it wasn't exactly the case. He looked around for his crew, concerned that they also might've been caught up in it.

"Guys?!" He called out, trying to hold onto his hat. "Are you here?!"

He couldn't see anyone around, but he could see a cyclone from the side of the island he was on. He was prepared to run, but in rapid succession, a gust of wind blew him into the air!

"WHOA!" Luffy shouted, stretching his arms for the trees. "Where did that come from?!" He was able to grab a tree, but the tree was then uprooted by a greater blast of gale. "CRAP!"

The captain continued to flow with the wind current and was carried around the funnel. He went around it a few times until the wind lifted him up and took him to the eye of the storm. He then went down inside the cyclone screaming.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

It looked like he going to keep falling forever. While it appeared that way, is was that moment when he felt a force hit his back, like a floor, despite no such thing being visible.

"OOF!" Luffy grunted from the impact, and groaned from the pain thereafter. Even though he was a rubber man, he certainly felt that blow. "Ugh, I felt like I landed on some kind of stone chasm. Like the one Gramps threw me in a when I was nine."

Luffy did a double take over what he just said and made a frown.

"I probably shouldn't have remembered that..."

He sat up and saw the wind blowing around him in the funnel, and looked all over the place. What caught his eye was that he was sitting on thin air and not falling. He may not be smart, but he knows enough that he shouldn't be stationary right now. This wasn't making any sense.

"I don't get it," He pondered, "How come I'm not falling anymore?"

"Because we brought you here," A voice, or rather, several voices said in unison.

Luffy was startled by the mysterious sounds he heard. Surprise turned into confusion as that new expression overtook his face. He got up and took a fighting stance, looking around to see if anyone was there.

"Who's there?!" He yelled, wishing for an answer. "Show yourself!"

"All you had to do was ask, _Straw Hat_," The overlapping voices stated, "But first, a change in scenery."

Luffy continued to view his surroundings, and finally saw something. His own shadow. However, it wasn't a mere patch of darkness. The grounded silhouette started to shoot out waves of shadows, making up the ground Luffy stood on. They went and swallowed up the entire windy pillar, except for the open gap above them, which showed the sun departing as the moon arrived. Now, the captain was in the spotlight of the moon, while everything around him was just gloom.

"What is this?" Luffy questioned, "What did you do?"

"We changed the scenery," The voices replied, "It should suit how you feel, _Luffy_."

"How do you know my name?" Luffy inquired, thinking about the legion of voices. They were starting to sound familiar, though good or bad, he hasn't determined.

"We know all about you, you sniveling rat," One particular voice said, as his body rose from the murky liquid behind Luffy. "An inferior human like you is so easy to read."

The boy gasped, instantly recognizing that voice. That condescending tone in his voice. That overwhelming haughty disdain whenever a human is around him. Luffy spun around to see that sawshark, just standing there with that sickening look of cruelty.

"_Arlong_...!" Luffy hissed, looking ready to charge at him. "So, you're back for more, huh?!"

"Yes, I'm back," _Arlong_ sneered, "But not for you. I already got what I came for."

"What does that mean?"

_Arlong_, still grinning, pulled something out of the liquid he came from, and lifted with minimum effort. The shape was human, but it looked like a life-sized puppet. The puppet itself was completely black with the ooze it spawned from. Even still, Luffy recognized what it was easily.

"A puppet?" Luffy questioned, "You came all the way back here for a puppet?"

"It's the person who is the puppet that I want, human. And I always get what I want!"

As if on command, the odd substance on the puppet dripped down into the puddle, revealing the colors of the puppet. Luffy looked at the object and gasped. The puppet looked exactly like Nami!

"That..." The captain struggled to catch his breath, but continued. "That looks like Nami!" He scowled at the tormentor he defeated. "What did you do to her?!"

"What does it matter to you?" _Arlong_ questioned, "As far as she's concerned, you don't matter to her anymore. Someone who's as weak-willed as you would never make a difference to her! You know why? Because... she's my _crewmate_!"

Luffy growled at _Arlong's_ reasoning, and charged at him like a shot.

"What the hell would you know about her?!" He shouted as he ran and punched him in the stomach. "You used her! You're a monster!"

"AGH!" _Arlong_ grunted, and was sent flying from the impact, making him drop the _Nami_ puppet. Luffy ran to grab the puppet, but was lifted by its strings because of someone.

Luffy looked up to see who was pulling it up, and was shocked. It was someone giant! But He knew who it was, but never expected them to be a hundred or so feet tall.

This person used swords for prosthetic legs ever since he severed them back in the past. He was always dressed in oriental clothes, had a piece of a steering wheel lodged in the back of his head, and yellow hair on his sides, covering everywhere but the top of his head. There was only one person this could be...

"SHIKI!" Luffy intensely roared, heating up with hate and disgust in his eyes. "Why are you here, too?!"

"It's simple, boy," _Shiki_ explained, though he had such a patronizing look that made Luffy revolt on the inside. "I came here for revenge. I'm quite cross about losing to you, and with how this poor baby doll turned on me in the end. So, I'm getting in some good old-fashioned payback."

"If you want to fight someone, then fight me! Just let Nami go!"

"No, no, no," _Shiki _shook his head, slightly chuckling. "You're missing the point. I intend to get revenge on both of you. She ruined my plans, and you damaged my pride. If I hope to become whole again, then both of you must perish."

The _Golden Lion _let out a sigh, placing his free hand on his forehead. Afterwards, still keeping the hand there, he dramatically lifted his head up. "It's a shame, too. I actually thought she would make the perfect addition to the crew. A good-looking baby doll like her is such a rare catch. Maybe I could've showed her a real man."

When he said that, his frown turned to an offensive, perverted grin. Luffy felt his stomach quease, and his blood was even at the boiling point.

"You son of a bitch...!" The captain snarled, gritting his teeth, getting ready to pounce on the strangely giant pirate.

"Alas, I must let her go... AND DIE!" _Shiki_ severed the _Nami_ puppet's strings and let it drop from his grasp.

"NAMI!" Luffy wailed and ran to catch it. But then, he abruptly fell over, having been tripped. Some dark claw had come from the floor and grabbed his foot. "Hey, let me go!" He kicked at the claw, and it vanished in a puff of smoke. He got up, and continued to run. "Hang on, Nami! I'm coming!"

"Sorry, but that won't happen!" Another familiar voice proclaimed behind Luffy. Following that, a swarm of dark bats came at him, and greatly pestered him.

"What the-?!" Luffy questioned, smacking one of them away. "Oh, God! Not these little freaks again!" He kept running, despite a few of those bats biting his shoulder, elbow, leg, even the back of his head. "OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW! Okay, I know you're doing this, Moria! Quit it, already!"

"Ki-Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi!" _Gecko Moria_ laughed, appearing a good distance in front of Luffy. "Thinking about saving your navigator, Straw Hat?"

"Get out of my way!" Luffy then elongated his arms to grab _Moria_, and he propelled himself towards the warlord. "Gum-Gum Rocket!" He landed square in the fat man's gut, making _Moria_ almost regurgitate as he stumbled.

The captain grabbed _Moria's_ head, specifically his horns, and stretched his arms as he climbed down on his back. That's when the poor fool realized what Luffy was trying to do.

"No! You won't do it! Get off my back!" _Moria_ tried to shake Luffy off his back, even reach for him with his arms. After getting tugged by his small adversary, _Moria_ jerked his head up and forward. In an instant, Luffy slightly hopped and let the momentum take him above the floor.

"Gum-Gum Balloon!" Luffy inhaled as much air as he possibly could, bloating himself up, and started to blow it all out. His body deflated as he traveled high, reaching a few feet below the _Nami_ puppet. It easily fell into his arms when he opened them up for it.

He took notice of the gravity pulling him down, and inflated again to keep the puppet safe from damage. The two plopped on the ground safely, and Luffy let out his air.

"Nami?" Luffy asked, "Are you alright?" He looked at the wooden puppet, but the puppet's face started to crack! Luffy became panicked. "NAMI?! Oh no! No!"

"Yaaaa-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!" A familiar, pompous laugh filled the dark void. Subsequently, one blast of lightning came down behind the captain, making him look to see another foe... _Eneru_.

"I don't have time for this!" Luffy tried to stand up when he looked back at the puppet's crumbling face. It was when he realized that there was a person underneath the puppet's wooden shell! Curious, the rubber man peeled through the face's layers piece by piece, revealing Nami underneath!

"Nami!" He exclaimed joyously, before continuing to remove the wood all over _Nami's_ body. He was caught up in the act, but failed to notice a golden hook came up behind him, and snatched him up by his torso. "Hey!"

The hook pulled Luffy away from _Nami_, and towards a rising pillar of sand. As the hook connected with the wall of sand, it began to take the form of a human. In fact, the sand was human. And only one person could have the ability to do that... _Crocodile_.

"Miss me, Straw Hat?" _Crocodile_ questioned, condescendingly smirking as usual.

"Crocodile?! What do you want, you bastard?!"

"Just wondering something. If you have harbored resentment towards your navigator, then why are you even attempting to save her?"

"Because she's my crewmate! She means a lot to me!"

"Oh, please. You know she can't be trusted, and your _friends_ can't be either. I thought you've understood what I meant by now."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Luffy asked, struggling to get out of the sandman's grip.

"Shut up!" Luffy angrily shouted, "What do you know about trust?! Nothing!"

"Trust is the most worthless thing in the world," _Crocodile_ sneered, "That's what I mean."

"Shut up! You don't know a thing about trust!"

"I know enough to not use that pathetic philosophy, now. And you should do the same!"

_Crocodile_ then used his right arm to throw Luffy away from him, making the shorter boy land on the ground. Then, Crocodile's creepy grin went into a monstrous scowl.

"Your so-called friends are nothing more than cheats! Liars!"

"No, they're not!"

The scarred man then sighed, and walked to where _Eneru_ stood.

"Have you ever wondered why you friends refer to you as an idiot?" _Eneru_ questioned, pointing his finger at Luffy. "It's all on you, insect! Because you simply _are_ one!

"You shut up, earlobe jackass!" Luffy yelled, taking a fighting stance. "Just because I'm stupid, that doesn't mean they would ever lie to me!"

"But they would," A calm voice said, "I know because of how simple manipulation is."

"As do I," Another voice agreed, "And the two of us have spent our time making gaining the trust of others, only to throw it out when the time is right."

Luffy carefully looked around and saw two figures, one taller than the other, standing next to each other. The tall one revealed himself to be _Rob Lucci_, as the other was shown as _Kuro_.

"Pigeon Guy and Kuro! You sons of-!"

"Quiet down, Straw Hat," _Lucci_ softly spoke, "You may be a leader who thinks of others, but your crew doesn't seem to express their respect for you."

"W-Well," Luffy stuttered, trying to deny _Lucci's_ logic. "T-That's be-because, I... I don't need any of it! Yeah! I don't need any thanks! I'm just being a friend to them!"

_Kuro_ chuckled, pushing his glasses up with his palm. "You can't make friends with your crew," He argued, "They're your tools to use, and to discard when they're no longer useful. You're a fool for keeping them around after you dueled with Shiki."

"They are NOT my tools!" The captain fumed, rushing at the two in front of him. In spite of his attempts, they were thwarted when _Arlong_ tackled him to the ground.

"You think that your crew is just gonna be nice to you just because they're your _friends_?" He asked, relishing Luffy's attempts to get loose. "Sha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha! That's a laugh! Even to your own species, you're an embarrassment! Nami really does hate you, and you still think she's yours! SHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

"ENOUGH OF THIS CRAP!" Luffy roared, stretching his legs up from under _Arlong_ and sending him flying. "Gum-Gum Volcano!" Luffy jumped up on his feet, dodging _Kuro's_ Cat Claws and _Lucci's_ finger and leg attacks. _Lucci_ stared at the captain, almost peering into his soul.

"You aren't showing confidence in your crew anymore," He stated, having observed the rubber boy. He continued as he took on his leopard hybrid form. "You're starting to lose faith in them."

"I don't need to hear this from you! I do trust them!"

"Hollow words, boy," _Kuro_ chimed in, "A pirate crew exists as your puppets, but you aren't out to use them. Your pathetic, childish mentality is what made them believe you're beneath them."

"Yaaaa-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!" _Eneru_ laughed, getting on Luffy's nerves easily. "A puppet captain! That's what they see you as! It's all they've ever thought of you! You're a joke!"

"Cut the crap!" Luffy swung his arm in denial, growing more unnerved. "I'm not a puppet! They... They... They're NOT using me!"

"Is that so?" _Crocodile_ questioned while _Moria_ and _Shiki_ came behind him. Do you really believe that?"

"With my life!"

"In that case," _Moria_ began suggesting, pointing behind Luffy. "Why don't you ask them yourself?!

"You'll see, boy," _Shiki_ added, "That baby doll was just using you as a pawn, just like your crew."

Luffy ignored the words of Roger's rival as he looked at the seven silhouettes in the fog. They looked familiar to him, but noticed _Nami_ was slowly standing up.

"Nami!" Luffy began running towards her to see if she was alright. By the time he got to her, he saw her eyes were shadowed. Her expression looked to be blank. Not a good sign. "Nami? All you alright?"

That's when it happened.

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME, YOU USELESS PIECE OF CRAP!" _Nami_ shouted as she smacked Luffy across the jaw, forcing him to fall on his knees and catch himself.

Luffy winced from the pain he felt. It was intensely agonizing, and that blow could've broken his entire jaw, were he not made of rubber. He picked himself up off the ground, rubbing the area where he was punched, and looked at _Nami_, alarmed by her actions.

"Nami?" He queried, petrified. "What...?"

"I don't want you anywhere near me!" Nami yelled, her eyes just filled with hate. Luffy never saw her with that much vitriol, or purged any thoughts of her in that mood. "You're nothing but a stain on my life! I should've left your godforsaken soul when I had the chance!"

"W-What are you... saying?" Once more, he asked, even with his aching heart growing with grief. "You... don't actually mean that! You don't!"

"Wrong, _dumbass captain_," A deep voice retorted in the fog. That particular voice belonged to _Zoro_, who was clearly visible now that the fog was dissipating. Yet, it wasn't just him who was where the grey wall of mist was. The rest of the _Straw Hats_ were there as well!

"Zoro?! Everyone?!" Luffy exclaimed, "What's going on?!"

"You don't believe she's the only one who means that, do you?" _Robin_ asked, remorselessly. "We all found it difficult to waste our precious time with someone who possesses a brain the size of an _insect_."

"I... I don't understand!"

"Understand this, assuming a _devil's son_ could even do _that_," _Chopper_ blankly spoke. His expression never looked more lifeless, though the entire crew had that same look of disdain imprinted on their faces.

"We're all _sick_ of you, _Luffy_," _Usopp_ explained with a twinge of venom in his words. "Of _you_, and your talk."

"No one asked you to interfere with our lives," _Sanji_ added, "We never needed you to begin with."

"You thought that by being honest and whatnot," _Brook_ speculated, "Then we can all just get along and be some kind of fellowship, despite being pirates. But that... was such a childish thought."

"I'd ask how stupid you are," _Franky_ started to insulted, "But you manage to answer that question with every breath you take."

"What are you guys saying?!" Luffy questioned, his torment slowly rising each second.

"You never understood a single word we've said, have you?" _Usopp_ responded, slightly letting out a chuckle. "You make being a moron look so easy!"

"We'll all say it as many times as we like," _Nami_ answered back to her captain's question, "We don't _NEED_ you anymore. You were just a pitiful waste of space that we used."

"We even went behind your back on something," _Zoro_ continued, "And like the idiot you are, you fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker."

"You don't deserve to be the captain," _Sanji_ took a drag of his cigarette upon saying that, and even grinned. "You don't even deserve to live!"

"Nami... Zoro... Sanji... Usopp... Everyone..." Luffy stood there in shock, taking it all in. He couldn't believe all the things they said. "How could you..." He was on the verge of tears, but felt a rush of anger swell up when he heard _Crocodile_ casually laugh as if it was the funniest thing he's ever heard.

"Now you see, boy," _Crocodile_ coldly said, "This is where your _trust_ in your _friends_ gets you. It was then I realized one simple fact: The world's a cold place, and to survive, you have to be cold."

"You're wrong! This is all just a dream! My friends would never say those things to me! If they... lied to me, then they... would've... told me."

"But they didn't, or aren't planning to anytime soon. And here they are, insulting you. You must've chosen the wrong friends."

"WHAT?!" Luffy screamed, "NO!"

"Are you really sure, kid? You _did_ chose the wrong friends, all because you are nothing but a desperate child who wanted love. The kind of love your father never bothered to give you."

"And you're extremely selfish," _Kuro_ pointed out, adjusting his glasses, but careful not to cut himself with his katana-tipped gloves.

"And you aren't?" Luffy scoffed, "You wanted to kill Usopp's friend for some kind of fortune! And you even killed some of your men!"

"To keep my identity a secret. While we're talking secrets, don't you think there's one that's worth looking into?"

"What?" Luffy questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You don't know what they lied to you about," _Moria_ asserted, "Come now, Straw Hat. They evaded you that one time for a reason."

"But then," _Crocodile_ interjected, "They suddenly stopped, having bought enough time for a specific object to be returned."

"Something was stolen," _Arlong_ divulged, "But your crew made sure not to tell you. As long as it's back where it belongs, you wouldn't have known it was gone."

"But someone said they took it," _Eneru_ added, "Naturally, you didn't believe them. It's a typical process."

"An enemy tells you something," _Lucci_ reasoned, "And you don't believe it. That's the way you work. You believe your friends are being truthful, but your foes are the fibbers."

"But what if it were the other way around?" _Kuro_ questioned, smirking like he knew the answer already.

"The... other way around?" Luffy repeated to himself, placing a hand beneath his chin.

"That's all the hints you're going to get, boy," _Shiki_ interrupted Luffy's thoughts, and levitated slightly above him. "But I suppose you've learned a lot of things here?"

"You guys don't make a lot at all," The captain bluntly said, throwing daggers at his enemies. "Besides, they wouldn't lie to me. They-"

"Your idiocy frustrates me to no end, rookie!" _Crocodile_ angrily scowled at the captain, "You continue to deny the truth when it's right there in front of you!"

"If you still naively believe that your crew is honest," _Arlong_ began to mock, "Then it makes sense why they thought they could pull one over you. You're stupid, even by human standards! Sha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!"

"A miserable child who wants to fit in with others," _Moria_ insulted, "That's all you were! Even though you have a crew, you're just their toy! A puppet! Ki-Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi!"

"Yaaaa-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!" _Eneru_ kept laughing, "It's as I've said before! You're a puppet captain! And the greatest clincher? NO ONE LOVES YOU! YAAAA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

The entire void quickly fell into an uproarious laugh. Luffy blankly stared, seeing all of his enemies laugh in his face. They all just kept on laughing at him, and he couldn't fight them all. It's almost like his will to fight was robbed from him. His ears picked up something else.

"They..." Luffy spoke for a second, but paused in the moment. "They aren't... laughing alone?"

He heard more laughs behind him, and his heart hit the floor. He knew who was laughing behind him. When he turned around, he saw his crew laughing wickedly.

"Look at him!" _Usopp_ laughed and pointed, "He's so clueless! He doesn't know what's going on!"

"He's so pathetic-looking!" _Sanji_ derided, barley breathing from his crude chortling. "He never was cut out to be a captain, just another moron that can't do a thing right!"

"Here's something funny!" _Zoro_ began, "If we tell this dumbass to kill himself, he'd just screw it up, like everything else!"

That was nothing more than a contemptuous comment directed at a person who was their friend, but all the crew did was laugh. They laughed at the troubles their captain suffered from, at what he perceived to be his weakness.

Luffy collapsed to the ground on his knees, sobbing. That just made their laughter more raucous than it originally did.

"It's not true, is it?" Luffy questioned with tears leaving his eyes. "You guys... hate me? All of you?"

The wild cackling continued to go on, but the sounds slowly ceased as _Nami_ walked towards him, intentionally swaying her hips in a superior manner.

"Oh, poor Luffy," _Nami_ said softly with a pretty face, up until her face darkened. Some form of black liquid leaked from her mouth as her pupils faded into white. Her smile became a creepy cheshire cat grin as she answered with a question. "WHAT MADE YOU THINK WE CARED ABOUT YOU AT ALL?"

"AHHHHHHH!" Luffy shrieked, landing on his bottom and moving backwards with his hands and legs. He couldn't fight back, even if he found the will to. He had to run.

He tried to get up, but for some reason, he couldn't! He couldn't move his legs, or his arms. Just his head. He looked at his wrists, and gasped. There were strings attached to him. And things only got weirder from there.

Luffy saw his hands look more wooden, along with the rest of his body! That's when he realized...

"I'm a puppet...?!" Luffy's expression may be wooden now, but it was clear what he was feeling. Horror.

"That's right, captain," _Robin_ answered, holding out her right hand out with some strings attached to her fingers. "But you're more than a puppet. You're _the_ puppet. And it's time to play some more." She smirked like a devil, and threw her hand up.

"WHOA~!" Luffy exclaimed. In rapid succession, he got hoisted up by the strings embedded into his hands and was swung around. "This isn't funny! Let me down!"

"You don't get a say anymore!" _Franky_ shouted, smiling demonically. "You never held any power over us! Now you'll never use us!"

"I never wanted to use you guys!" Luffy responded, continuing to get flung sideways. "You're my friends! My family!"

"And, let me guess," _Brook_ surmised, his voice adding a layer of chill that settled throughout the dark. "You just _happened_ to develop a sense of _love_ for a young woman."

"You were talking about me, weren't you?" _Nami_ queried as the whites of her eyes turned black and her pupils turned bloody red. "You had feelings for me, didn't you?"

_Robin_ used her hand to make Luffy hang above the gallery of friends and enemies present, just so he can have a chance to speak. The captain looked at _Nami_ when he answered.

"I... did..." He confessed, dropping his head down. "I don't know how, and I can't remember when, honestly. At first, I thought it was nothing. But then, I knew what I was feeling. It... was something I never felt in a long time. But I decided that you wouldn't like me if I told you."

"Well, you thought right," The _navigator_ replied, "Aside from being as bright a sack of rocks, you're guilty of letting some people die. Like, for instance, Sabo and Ashley."

"What...? How do you...?"

"Ashley was right about one thing, Luffy. NO WOMAN ALIVE WILL EVER **LOVE YOU**."

_Robin_ untied a sting from one of her fingers, and passed it to _Franky_, who pulled at it without any hesitation.

"AAAGGGHHH!" Luffy cried out in pain, feeling his left arm getting pulled out of its socket. It took only one more tug, and then...

***CRACK!* **A repulsive sound was heard throughout the void, and a wooden limb dropped to the ground.

"EYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHHHH!" Luffy wailed, pointlessly attempting to thrash about in the air. He couldn't cry, he couldn't move, he couldn't do anything. He could only try to keep himself from looking at his disembodied limb, and the gaping wound where the blood was pouring out of. It was a nauseating sight, but just like the sadist he was, _Lucci_ smirked.

"Excellent, both of you," He complimented, sniffing the smell of blood in his leopard hybrid form. "The sight of a person losing a piece of their body was invigorating."

"It was, wasn't it?" _Crocodile_ pondered, "Well, we have tortured Straw Hat enough. It's time for us to depart."

_Zoro_ nodded to the former _Mr. 0_, and a simple slice with Shusui was enough to cut Luffy's strings, making him drop to the ground.

"GUH!" Luffy grunted from the collision to the floor. He was still seething from the pain his missing arm left him.

"We leave you to question your meaningless existence, boy," _Shiki_ said, and immediately blew up in a red puff of smoke. He wasn't the only one, though.

One by one, each of Luffy's foes disappeared in the same fashion as _Shiki_, along with the other _Straw Hats_, minus _Nami_. The crimson smog began to rise and swirl above them, almost mimicking a sandstorm.

"Well, your time is coming to an end, _captain_," _Nami_ stated, pulling out a dagger as she straddled her captain's puppet chest.

"Wait!" Luffy shouted, desperately trying to reason with her. "Nami, don't do this!"

"I would say it was nice to know you, but it really wasn't."

"PLEASE!" Luffy screamed, trying to move his only remaining arm to do something. "NAMI! EVERYONE! PLEASE!"

"Scream all you want. No one will come. **No one cares**."

"NAMI! STOP!"

"Good bye, idiot captain," _Nami_ said, raising her weapon for the killing blow. "**Enjoy Hell.**"

"**NAAAAAAAAAMIIIIIIIIIIII~!**"

***FWOOSH!***

***CRACK!***

***FWOOSH!***

***CRACK!***

***FWOOSH!***

***CRACK!***

***FWOOSH!***

***CRACK!***

The dagger went straight though Luffy's wooden head, not once or twice, but several times, breaking apart with every sharp jab. The last thing Luffy saw was darkness closing around him, seeing only _Nami's_ monstrous red eyes and mouth, akin to a demon. They instantly flickered, as her apathetic, cruel laughter, filled the dying captain's ears.

XXX

***GASP!*** Luffy woke up, and rose from the floor with a shock. He started breathing heavily as he felt the sweat on his face and chest. The cold air couldn't cool him off. He removed the blanket and stood up, looking out the window of the Sunny. It was still in the moonlight.

"Another nightmare, huh?" Luffy whispered, rubbing his eyes. "I just can't sleep anymore."

He moved outside via the trapdoor, and walked on the branch of the mast until sitting on a part of it. Luffy began to contemplate his thoughts, looking at the ocean.

"Would they even notice me if I'm gone? Would they care if I died? Would... she?"

He had one more thought on his mind.

"Did they... lie to me somewhere down the line?"

The poor captain hoped he was wrong when he asked that question aloud, but never knew how right he was. Under the mast's branch, flower petals fell down underneath...

In another part of the Sunny, specifically the kitchen, a book fell and a coffee cup almost fell on the floor. They were caught by arms that sprouted along the table in time. Robin grabbed both of her possessions and put them back on the table. She looked solemn, having heard Luffy's questions from monitoring him.

"Luffy..." She whispered, grabbing her coffee cup and sipping it. Enough was enough. She decided it was best for him to talk. She walked outside to see Luffy trying to get back inside the crow's nest.

Robin crossed her arms, and had one of them sprout on Luffy's arm. The arm simply touched Luffy to make him look. He saw the disembodied limb, which motioned him to look below him. He did, and spotted Robin down on the deck.

Robin also took the liberty of sprouting an ear on Luffy so she could hear him.

"Robin," Luffy began, "I know you're listening. And for the last time, I don't want to SEE anyone. But you can't accept that, can you?"

Robin just stood there, staring at her captain. She wanted to help him out, in whatever way she could. Luffy sighed, seeing that she won't give up.

"Fine," He stated, "I don't think you can help me, but you can try. Tomorrow. You can find me at the usual spot. "

Robin softly smiled, having finally gotten a chance. Luffy couldn't exactly see, but he knew she was smiling. It made him smile back.

He moved to get back inside the crow's nest to try and sleep. Robin also decided to call it a night, heading inside the kitchen to fetch her book.

But it won't matter what she does to help, for on that day, Luffy will no longer consider his crew his friends. The worst part? He will give up on his dreams, and everything he loves.

That fateful day... has begun as of the passing of midnight.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	11. Ch 10- What Goes Around

**Chapter 10- What Goes Around **

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

Commander Beau-Père, Fixit, Scorcher, Seventy, the Sideshow Pirates, G-13 Base, Wonderland Island, and the Cherry Triangle © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Another day has come to the Grand Line. The sun was shining as the creatures of the sea were swimming. A marine battleship came to the island of bustling people and made way to dock.

Aboard the ship, many marine soldiers were standing in formation, awaiting their commander's instruction, as the others were working on docking, furling the sails, weighing anchor, and scrubbing the deck until there's no trace of dirt.

Fixit, at the moment, was walking in the hallways of the ship, heading to Commander Beau-Père's quarters with the purpose of bringing out his, well, commander. He knocks on the door, awaiting permission to enter.

"Come in," Commander Beau-Père said, his eyes not averting from the paper he held in his hand.

Fixit opens the door, enters, and walks to his superior's desk, standing at attention.

"We're here, sir," Fixit saluted his commander, "We've arrived at our destination."

"Good, Fixit," Beau-Père responded, returning a salute as he put the paper he held onto on his desk. It was cluttered with other papers, all of which were related to the Straw Hat Pirates. The specific paper he threw on the pile, was a dossier on 'Cat Burglar' Nami, the navigator with a bounty of 16 million berries.

Fixit saw Beau-Père's expression as he sat up from his chair. It was a look of resignation, which did not deter when he previously entered the commander's quarters. This troubled the chief mechanic greatly.

"Sir?" He began, "If you don't want to go through with this, then say the word."

"What?" The Commander questioned, raising his head up. "What makes you think I don't want to go through with this?"

"Sir, you've been looking downtrodden the moment you saw that picture of one of the Straw Hats."

"That doesn't mean anything. Heh. I suppose that sawshark monster Arlong finally got under my skin."

"Sir, you can't fool me. You're not looking presentable."

"I'm probably just tired, Fix. Don't dwell on it."

"I'm just saying, sir. You've never looked this down since the haunted marine warship incid-"

***STOMP!*** Beau-Père sternly got up from his chair and looked up to Fixit with a glare. He also reflexively changed his entire appearance, revealing his Devil Fruit powers. The form Beau-Pére took on was a cat form, similar to Rob Lucci's, only with a distinct tan color difference, which showed the kind of feline form he took.

CAT-CAT FRUIT: MODEL PUMA.

"**I thought we all agreed to _never_, under any circumstance, mention that horrific nightmare again.**"

Fixit sweated. He knew that if there was one thing that set all of them off, it was the mere mention of a catastrophic incident. And there was only one that stood out among them.

About 6 years ago, the marines were developing a new battleship, one that was the size of two cruise ships and packing ordnance, all of which costing as much as at least six hundred million berries. This new ship was going to be the flagship of the next fleet admiral, whenever Sengoku makes the call to step down. But suddenly, it was gone, and hadn't been seen for months, until it reappeared again. But the strangest thing about it was the missing crew.

Beau-Père and his squad were sent to investigate, along with two marine battleships. They were to ascertain that this was either an accident, or that another party was involved. They discovered that pirates had taken control of the ship and killed the crew. On top of that, the pirates were all freaks, by every definition of the word. Not surprising, since they are known as the Sideshow Pirates. They were a monstrous crew that cared for only wealth and the death of innocents. At least, that's what they were told.

The marines that were sent to that ship fought the large group of pirates, and did so bravely. But out of the six thousand men who entered the ship, only four came out of the ship alive. The survivors were Beau-Père and his three top men, Fixit, Seventy, and Scorcher. They retreated in a lifeboat as the ship disappeared into a fog with the pirates, but not before sinking the ships that were provided to him, including his own.

The group was devastated, and their superiors were livid. One of them, an Admiral, saw to it that they were punished, demoted, and reassigned. While they managed to get their ranks back over the next couple of years, as well as command over the G-13 base, they could never forget their great failure of a mission, and Beau-Pére was left with a harsh reminder of that failure.

"Beau-Père, sir, please," Fixit spoke, trying not to anger the commander any further than he already has. "I just hate seeing you feel terrible about yourself. I'm sorry I spoke out of term, I just... I wanted to know what was wrong, sir."

Beau-Père breathed, and reverted to his human self. He brought his hands to the desk and let his head hang down. He felt ashamed.

"I should be apologizing," He responded while slightly looking up to his friend. "I lost my temper."

"You just don't want to capture Monkey D. Luffy, sir," Fixit stated, "I can tell. I just don't understand why."

"Well, it's a long story, Fix. You see, I found out a lot of things. I still remember the day I was told that my sister was murdered by Arlong. What I didn't mention at the time, was that Monkey D. Luffy, the pirate we are sent to capture now, was the one who liberated our home from that scumbag."

"I see, but that's not the only reason you feel crummy, is it?"

"No, that's not just it. Belle-Mère had adopted two daughters. I visited them when they were too young to remember me, let alone know me. It was about sixteen years ago, when I was still a greenhorn in the marines. I kept in contact with my sister until about ten years ago, when she stopped calling me via Transponder Snail. From that point onward, I received fax messages from her. At least, I thought I did."

"You _thought_?" Fixit asked, raising an end of his unibrow. "Then does that mean...?"

"Someone was impersonating her, using her address to transmit all those messages. On top of that, I was forced to continue my duties without any grant of leave, and I was denied any chance to head to the East Blue! And then, it all came to a head, a few months ago. I was told that my dear sister was already long dead...!"

Beau-Père clutched his face, attempting to stifle his tears, to no avail.

"My sister... was dead for ten years...! TEN DAMN YEARS AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG!"

The Commander slammed his fist on the table in a fit of rage and sorrow. He began crying as he continued in between sobs...

"And now, I have to catch the savior of my people, the one who saved them from Arlong! I do that, then they'll be devastated, along with Nami, one of Belle-Mère's daughters!"

"Nami? You mean, 'Cat Burglar' Nami, one of Straw Hat's crewmembers?"

"That's right. She joined Luffy after liberating her from Arlong. I heard from a friend that she was forced to work for him if she ever wanted to free Cocoyashi Village, but it was obvious Arlong would never let her go, not when her skill of cartography was so valuable."

"Wow... That man is absolutely horrid. But if you despise him, then why did you ask for him to be transferred to the G-13 Base?"

"To atone," Beau-Père simply replied, "I failed Belle-Mère and her daughters by not being there when it mattered. I failed my people. If I ever want to face my sister ever again, I should make sure her killer never walks free."

"Sir, you were fooled. You couldn't have known-"

"Does it even make a difference? I let them get subjugated like that, and now I have to apprehend 'Straw Hat' Luffy. And for what? To end the legacy of the most wanted man in the world? To _save face_ for the World Government? To cover up the mistakes made by _them_?!"

Fixit opened his mouth to retort, but then closed it, having no answer. He let Beau-Père continue on.

"We _are_ the marines. We're supposed to keep the people safe. But when you have the pirates being the heroes in the eyes of the people, it makes you wonder: What's our purpose? Are we the villains? Are we the incompetent military force that stops the heroes? Does the world even _need_ people like us? Especially when you have a government ruling the world like it's theirs to take."

"Sir, you shouldn't talk like that. If people heard you, they would think that you're a Revolutionary."

"Is the world even safe if _they're_ the ones in power? Are we even _just_ if we're trying to capture that pirate?"

"Sir," The mechanic began, "Even if 'Straw Hat' Luffy was a good person, he still broke the law in many ways. He declared war on the World Government. He's a pirate. He called himself as such when he first appeared. Like it or not, we have a duty, and we _have_ to go through with it. I don't like the idea of arresting one who saved so many lives, but we have our orders."

"_Orders_, huh," The Commander huffed sarcastically, then followed up with a sentence, complete with air quotes. "Because a good soldier _always_ follows _orders_ without question. All for the _sake_ of _Absolute Justice_. I've heard Akainu say that so many times, I got sick of him as a person."

"Again, sir, you shouldn't say that! If anyone hears..."

"It's not like I haven't gotten demoted 'suddenly' because 'someone' happened to overhear me before... I'll just get back my rank like I always do."

"We should probably get to setting the trap for the pirate," Fixit suggested, "Scorcher and Seventy get anxious when they have to wait for you, sir."

"Yes, I suppose we should just get this over with," Beau-Père moved from his desk to the door as Fixit followed suit. "I have a job to do, whether I like it or not."

"Who knows, sir? Maybe Luffy will actually outsmart us and force us to give up."

Beau-Pére chuckled at the scenario. It wasn't a bad idea in his mind.

"Yeah," He answered, "If Trafalgar Law and Scratchmen Apoo could elude us, then maybe this kid could get one up over us."

XXX

The morning sun had been out for at least a few hours. Breakfast was being served on the Sunny, though not everyone attended. Zoro had decided to skip it since Sanji had made the decision to refuse serving it to Luffy due to yesterday's events. Of course, that meant Luffy wouldn't come in, either.

Strangely, Brook, Franky, and Chopper also denied eating whatever the cook made, at least for now. It would appear that they were trying to avoid him, as well as Nami, though the exact reasons are unknown. Chopper, for sure, didn't want to be anywhere near Usopp, not when he still insisted on lying to Luffy some more. On account of that, he stayed in the sick bay, refusing to come out for anyone.

At the table, an uncomfortable silence swept between the only souls getting through their meals. Usopp ate through his scrambled eggs with a fork, despite them being slightly burned. Robin silently ate her sunny-side up eggs, which were on top of a piece of toast that looked to be burned.

'Hmm,' She thought, 'It seems the cook's ability to... Well, cook, is hindered over what happened yesterday. I can't say I'm surprised, though. We all have been through some rough days.'

What caught her eye, more importantly, was Nami using her fork to move her toast and eggs from one spot of her plate to another, if only slightly. Sanji was eating the eggs he burned and saw what the navigator was doing.

"Nami..." He sighed while taking another bite of his meal, "That's going to get cold just sitting there."

"I know," Nami quietly said, "Sorry."

"No, don't apologize, there's no need to. If you want, I can cook up another one."

"It's alright, Sanji. I'll get to eating it."

Nami twiddled her fork for a little while, but finally took a bite of the eggs and toast on her dish.

"Hey, Nami?" Usopp asked, "How much longer do we have to wait for the log pose to reset?"

"The log pose resets tomorrow," Nami replied, "So we'll just have to stay here for another night."

"Okay, but what about the next island we have to go to?"

"By my estimates, we should arrive to Wonderland Island in one week. We just have to go through the Cherry Triangle to get there in a quick amount of time."

"Sanji?" Robin began her inquiry, "Can I talk to you later when I have the time?"

"Oh, of course!" Sanji responded with vigor, and prepared to swoon again. "Anything for you, my dear Robin~!"

After finishing her plate, Robin, chuckling from the cook's reply, got up from her seat and took her plate over to the kitchen sink. Sanji followed suit and went over to the kitchen to wash the plate as Robin went out to leave.

Upon exiting the dining room, she moved to the helm deck, with the purpose of seeing Luffy and speaking to him. He was sitting on the Sunny's figurehead, without his straw hat.

'Luffy isn't wearing his hat again?' She mentally questioned, 'That's the second time he's not wearing it.'

She was close to getting his attention, but she reminded herself what to do before beginning.

'I should be careful with my questions. He snapped at Nami yesterday, and he's likely to grow hostile when threatened.'

Ending her thoughts, she spoke, "Hello, captain."

"Oh, hey Robin," Luffy replied, looking back to see her. He still had those green eyes, which looked to be turning blue and back.

Robin raised an eyebrow, seeing Luffy's constant changing eye colors. But what caught her attention was the bags under his eyes, if not his messy hair. Sure, Luffy's hair is usually messy, but this is the messiest his hair has ever been. Besides that, he looks tired.

"Luffy, are you alright?" Robin asked, looking concerned at his state.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Luffy tried to wave off, but Robin couldn't accept it.

"No, captain," She stated, "You're not alright. You look tired."

"Well," Luffy yawned and confessed, "I couldn't really get much sleep, so I decided to sit out here. Maybe I can get some naps after you try to talk to me and fail."

"What makes you think I will fail?"

"I don't know. I just know that it won't make a difference."

"That remains to be seen, Luffy."

"Yeah?" Luffy lifted himself up from his spot, and climbed up to the deck. He crossed his arms as he stood directly in front of Robin. "Well, you can try to do what you can. I won't just stop you here."

"In all honesty, captain," The archaeologist suddenly bowed her head to her captain, who was taken aback from her out of the blue action. "You are a wonderful human being. Without you, I wouldn't even be here. For that, I'm grateful."

"R-Robin…" Luffy was at a loss for words. He was reminded of the events from Enies Lobby, where she was dragged to that wretched place for her death, which would have happened, had the crew not intervened.

"I only want to help you, Luffy," Robin continued, raising her head to make eye contact with Luffy. "You're my captain, and my friend. You believed me the moment things began to look grim for me."

"Alright, alright!" Luffy exclaimed, raising his hands up. "I get it! You want to help me!" The captain paused and took a deep breath. He went on, "I get it. I'm just... Well... I'm not sure if you and the guys would understand what I'm going through."

"Then let us explore that," Robin answered, "What makes you believe that I, or the crew, should they also wish to help, not understand what's going on with you?"

"Because... Um... That's hard to say."

Robin noticed Luffy was acting jittery from that response. He sweated slightly, and his fingers were beginning to fidget.

"What do you mean? Why is it so hard to say?"

"I don't want to say it, but... I guess you could say I'm starting to not trust anyone."

"What?" Robin slightly raised her eyes, thrown off by the answer. Knowing Luffy's actions and his willingness to believe in his friends, the last thing she expected to hear him say was anything like that. She spoke up again, but noticeably disturbed. "W-Why?"

"I... I don't know. I guess because of a nightmare I had."

"A nightmare?"

"Yeah, I had a nightmare last night and the bad guys in my dream said stuff about you guys being liars."

"R-Really?"

"Uh-huh. It was weird, creepy, things like that. You guys were there, too."

"And... W-What did we say in the dream?" Robin was almost afraid to ask, but she did, and steeled herself for the awaited answer. She didn't know what to expect Luffy to say now. If these 'bad guys' said that most of the crew lied about something, then does that mean Luffy _knew_ they lied, at least, in the back of his mind?

"Um..." Luffy began to sweat, and had a thought. 'Should I tell her? What would she say? If I tell her, would she tell the others? If they knew how much I didn't trust them, they would hate me. They'd... _leave me_.'

"Luffy?" The archaeologist broke the captain's musing with just calling his name, gaining his attention.

"Actually... I'm not sure I want to talk about it."

"You're... not sure?"

"There's something that I don't want to tell you."

"Luffy, you can tell me anything. I won't force you to, and you can tell me what's troubling you whenever you want."

"But you won't tell the others what I say, will you?"

Robin shook her head and said, "No, I won't. That's up to you."

"Up to me, huh?"

Luffy looked over the side, thinking. 'As far as I know, she's being honest to me. Maybe...'

He turned to look at her, saying, "I don't want anyone to know this. So whatever I have to say, keep it to yourself."

Robin quietly nodded and listened to Luffy's detailed explanation of his nightmare. Namely, the _Straw Hats_ that were there, degrading the captain and toying with his heart. He also told Robin about every enemy that was there, screwing with him, about his torture by the _Robin_ in the bad dream, about him turning into a life-sized puppet, and finally, telling the part where _Nami_ stabbed him.

It was a mouthful the captain just spilled, and she just looked at him in shock as he sighed.

"...And that's when I woke up," He conveyed, feeling slightly at ease.

"Luffy, I..." Robin tried to speak, but she was at a loss for words. The things he described with clear detail was more than vexing, it was disturbing.

"Yeah, it's not a pretty picture," Luffy stated, "And, I don't want you or the crew to think that I don't trust you guys, because I want to! I just... I'm trying, but-"

"A-Alright, Luffy, just stay calm," Robin directed, getting her bearings back. "It's because of that young man who attacked us."

"Yeah! I'll tell you what, the next time I see him-!"

"Try not to focus on that, now. You said that you want to trust us, right?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Well, here's what I'll do. I'll tell them that you're beginning to lose faith in us, and that we must do what we can to get you to trust us."

"But if you do that, they'll ask why I don't trust you, and I don't want them to know that it was because of a nightmare."

"I simply leave out that part. Besides, it's not your fault for acting this way. It's because that person. Also, with the way some of us have been acting, it makes sense that you wouldn't trust us now."

"Yeah," Luffy agreed, looking to the side. "That's also why." He slightly smiled when he looked at Robin. "But you'd never do anything bad to me, Robin. I know that."

"I... suppose so," Robin retorted with a smile of her own, except unlike Luffy's, hers was... less sincere.

"Really, you're not a bad person! You wouldn't lie to me at all!"

"If you... say so, captain," Robin replied, though her smile dropped in response to that comment. "I'll be sure to tell the others when it gets to lunch, okay?"

"Um, sure."

"I'll see you later, Luffy."

When Robin left Luffy to his thoughts, he became a little uneasy. It became apparent that to him that something was not right.

'Robin didn't look happy when I said that she wouldn't lie to me,' He thought, 'I wonder why...'

"Hey, Luffy!" Franky called out, interrupting his reflection. "Can we talk?"

"What do you want, Franky?" Luffy called out, not even turning around to face the cyborg.

"I uh... I want to talk... About stuff..." Franky stuttered, scratching the back of his head.

"What's there to talk about?"

"Well, I don't know, a bunch of things!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Franky then struck his usual pose, clamping his forearms together with gusto. "We have a whole lot to talk about!"

"You mean _you_ have a lot to talk about, while I just listen to you," Luffy asserted with a straight face, then turned to the fourth wall. "Sometimes I do that with stars in my eyes."

In the moment he said that, Franky collapsed to the ground, though not before reacting in an over the top manner.

"Straw Hat Bro," Franky carped with comedic tears pouring from his eyes, underneath his sunglasses. "Why do you have to put it like that?"

"Look, Franky," Luffy then revolved to face his shipwright, "I just finished talking with Robin and I want to be alone. Can't you just do that?"

"Mm-mm," Franky shook his head, "I only want to help you, man. You've been acting crappy for the last few days."

"Yeah, I know," The captain began to pout, and didn't even uncross his arms. "I don't need you to tell me that."

"Well, if you talked with Nico Robin, then I guess you're doing okay."

"Well, thanks anyway, Franky. But no offense, even if I let you talk to me, I don't think you'd understand me."

"Sure, Straw Hat Bro," The cyborg gave a thumbs up in reassurance, until he realized the last part Luffy said. "Wait, what do you mean I wouldn't understand you?!"

"I said 'no offense,' Franky!" Luffy pointed out, defensively holding his hands up. "I didn't mean it in a bad way!"

"Yeah, but you said 'I wouldn't understand you!' What makes you say that?!"

"It's not you-"

"And don't give me 'It's not you, it's me' crap!"

"But that's what I was going to say! It's on me!"

"Really?" Franky raised his glasses up to his forehead, "How is it that way?"

"I just going through some issues right now! You're not the problem!"

"I know that," Franky lowered his voice, but not to where Luffy couldn't hear him. "I just think you need more help from us to cope and get through this."

"Franky, I'm fine," Luffy calmly acknowledged, and looked up to Franky. "This is something that, I think, I should get through on my own. But Robin will tell you guys what going on with me so you can try and help."

"Well, you can tell me now. I'm standing here, so..."

"Alright, but you won't like it."

"I've been through some things that aren't so super. Try me."

Luffy took a breath, and said his peace. "I don't think I trust you or the others anymore..."

"You don't trust us?!"

"I said you weren't going to like it..."

"Okay, I get why you wouldn't trust me, because of what I've done before we met, buy why the others?!"

"It's just, I... That guy did something to me, and I've been thinking..."

"You've been thinking?" Franky shifted a little bit and looked away, "About what? All that's been going on?"

"Yeah... And I don't know if I can trust you now." The captain bowed his head, "I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I get where you're going with this. It ain't your fault."

"And I know I can trust you with some other stuff. I mean, you built the Sunny for us. So, I know you'll tell me if something bad happened on it."

"H-Huh?" Franky sweated a little bit, and composed himself in record time. "Oh, sure!" He hoped Luffy didn't notice that small blunder of his, even though he wanted him to.

"Well, lunch'll be ready in a few hours. I'll take some of Bro Cook's food and sneak it out for you, in case he won't fork some over to you. Okay?"

"Thanks, Franky."

The cyborg turned to walk away, but not before saying one last thing to the young captain. "Oh, and Luffy?"

"Huh?"

"I'm still sorry for what I did to you and Usopp. Just wanted you to know that."

"Uh..." Luffy started to feel an uncontrollable bit of tension.

"I know, you don't forgive me. It's fine, though. I don't think I deserve it anyway."

"Uh, Franky, wait-"

Luffy's small request fell on deaf ears, as Franky had turned his back to the Luffy and walked off, presumably to work on some more weapons ideas in his workshop.

Feeling dejected, Luffy slunk back to the figurehead, and remained there until the call for lunch came.

XXX

Most of the crew did show up when it was time. Of course, Luffy didn't show up, since Sanji would possibly refuse his captain lunch. However, this wasn't the case. At least, this time. The cook had decided to hand some meat he cooked over to Luffy, sitting at the usual spot on the ship. Clearly, he wanted to make up for his behavior for yesterday and the day before, provided he didn't have to say it.

While Luffy ate the food that he was given on the figurehead, he was having another bout of thought.

"Hmm," He mumbled, "What was up with Robin and Franky anyway? Did I do something wrong?"

He then realized the stupidity of that last question, and was forced to remember his previous actions.

"Why did I ask that?" Luffy grumbled as he chewed hard on the bone, breaking it in half. "Of course I did something. I yelled at Sanji, got Zoro on Nami's bad side, practically turned the crew against me and each other, and almost hurt Nami."

The captain crunched on the bones and felt even more uneasy, from thinking about his nightmare.

"What did the Arlong in that dream mean when he said, 'Something was stolen, but my crew didn't tell me? As long as it's where it belongs, I wouldn't know it was gone.' Did something get stolen from the ship?"

Although he tried to think back to anything he could remember, in the end, he was drawing a blank.

"Maybe," Luffy said out loud, "I should just go with my instincts."

As Luffy did that, it led him to go off of the figurehead and onto the grass deck. Next, he felt like he had to check out the Jolly Roger that was tied to the Crow's Nest. As for why, he had no idea, but there was a funny feeling in his gut.

He climbed up to the mast's arm, then stretched from that point to the Nest's roof. Even so, this act didn't go unnoticed, as Zoro saw his captain rocket upward while walking to check on him.

'Oh, hell," The swordsman cursed in his head, 'He's about to find out.'

The thought of telling the others comes to his mind. He felt like he should tell them that Luffy was starting to find out, but then changed his mind.

'Screw it. They should've been expecting this for a long time. I should get ready for this moment.'

Luffy landed on the roof with ease and saw the flag, fluttering in the slightly blowing wind.

'Hmm,' He thought, 'Looks normal to me. Why am I looking at it anyway?'

He decided to ascend up to the mast and look more closely at the flag. There, he saw something unusual. There looked to be tear marks on the part where it connects to the mast, though they look small.

Luffy wanted to look further, so he untied the flag and examined it better. That's when the flag, including some of its separated corners, started flying loose. Luffy gasped, and stretched his arms out to grab them, with success. He fell on his back on the roof, though.

"Whew!" He sighed in relief, sitting up. "It'd be bad if the corners flew out in the wind here."

He face went from a grin to a questionable look. "Why would some corner pieces of the flag be torn?" He questioned, "Aren't they supposed to be... um, not torn?"

He looked at the flag again, and saw the tear markings. A good amount of them were seen on the two corners that were supposed to be tied to the mast. That was when he made another question. 'Who would do this?' He then tried thinking about the people that would hang the flag like this. His friends would, but they never said anything about the flag getting torn.

"I also don't remember the flag getting torn," Luffy said aloud, "Maybe because I never saw the flag get torn. But who...? If my friends didn't, then who would...?"

He realized an important thing. There were some people who had the chance to do so, or send someone to do it for them. It was the guys he fought against that one time.

The Accino Family.

They were a group of bounty hunters that made a living off of catching pirates, but mostly for claiming pirate flags as trophies. He saw a collection of flag fly out of their base camp, as he was fighting the head of the family, Accino himself.

"Wait a minute!" Luffy shouted, suddenly thinking back to fighting one of his sons. "Wait, he had a brother, right? Or was it a clone?" He shook his head. "That's not important now. If that clone guy was telling the truth, then... that means..."

He didn't want to finish that sentence. The idea that his enemy was telling the truth and his friends lying was something that was unthinkable! He didn't want to believe it.

"That... That has to be a lie! It can't be true! The flag was there at the Sunny! Yeah! I saw it when I ran...! **AHH**!"

Then, it all became crystal clear to him. He remembered. His crew was running away from him after the fight. He also saw Usopp fly into the air, courtesy of Sanji and Zoro, up to the mast of the Sunny. Luffy realized something he never wanted to think, he never expected his friends, his crew, would ever do.

"They lied... to me..."

Luffy grasped the flag tightly, as his face grew pale and tears ran down his unchanging green eyes. He sat on the roof and sobbed silently...

...

...

...

He didn't know how long he was sitting there, but he didn't care. The clouds had turned white, and had blocked out the sun for hours.

Hours. That's how long he sat there. He was contemplating how he was going to question his friends, no, his _crew_. When they lied to him, he decided they lost the right to be called his friends.

He then stood up, and climbed up to tie the flag back to the mast.

After doing that simple task, he climbed down to the deck below, wearing nothing but a dispassionate demeanor.

Zoro, standing at the helm deck, took a deep breath. He saw his captain looking hurt, and steeled himself for the calling out.

"I know Usopp lies a lot," Luffy muttered to himself, "But about _this_...! And the others, minus Chopper and Brook, they went along with it too...! Maybe Crocodile didn't trust anybody, because something like this happened to him."

Luffy wouldn't admit it, but he knew that Crocodile wasn't wrong in saying what he did about trust. As he said to Luffy when they met...

_"Trust is the most useless thing in the world," _The former Warlord's words echoed in his mind.

During this time, Chopper was sitting on the railing with a fishing pole, on the left side of the Sunny, as it was the only area to fish, since the right is next to the sand of the island.

"He should know the truth," Luffy said to himself, "He didn't know what they did." He walked up to Chopper, who looked really down, for some reason.

'Luffy _deserves_ the truth,' Chopper thought, 'I wish I could tell him.'

"Hey, Chopper?"

"HUH?!" Chopper screeched, jumping up from the railing and switching to heavy point, ready to pummel someone.

"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!" Luffy shouted, waving his arms, in a protective manner. "It's just me, Chopper!"

"Oh, Luffy!" Chopper reverted to brain point, and took a deep breath. "You frightened me!"

"I'm sorry, buddy," The captain apologized.

Zoro sweat-dropped, quietly witnessing the whole thing.

"I just wanted to talk to you about something," Luffy said.

"Talk?" Chopper questioned, "To me?"

"It's about something that happened a while ago."

"A-A while ago? What about it?"

"Um, Chopper?" Luffy felt nervous. He wasn't sure how Chopper was going to react, besides the fact he doesn't know that Chopper was told the truth about the incident. "I think... That's... Um..."

"What, Luffy?"

"You're not really gonna believe this, Chopper," The captain warned in advance, "But I want you to trust me here."

Chopper started to fidget a little. He has no way of knowing, but it just became possible that Luffy figured it all out, on his own.

"Chopper?"

"Huh?!" Chopper exclaimed, "Oh! Sorry, Luffy. I got lost there for a second. What were you saying?"

"Um," Luffy attempted to start, almost backpedaling. "You know that I trust you, right?"

"Yeah?" The doctor affirmed.

"I'd trust you to look after me, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Then, can I trust you to listen, and try not to tell the crew this?"

"Um..." Chopper mumbled, looking around like a wary pigeon.

"Okay, here's the thing..."

"NO!"

That little yell caught Luffy off guard, needless to say. He didn't know what was going on around here, and now this happens. All he could say was...

"What?"

"No, Luffy," Chopper said, starting to shake up. "Y-Y-You c-can't trust me."

"What?" Luffy asked again, not understanding. "Of course I can trust you. I mean, you didn't know what was going on, either."

"Either?"

"Yeah." Luffy bent his knees down to Chopper's level, as best he could. "You obviously had no idea about it."

"What's 'it,' Luffy?" The poor reindeer questioned, looking like he was about to cry.

"Well, remember when we had that adventure in the frozen waters, and we fought this guy that could, maybe clone himself, or something?"

Chopper gasped. He knew what Luffy was talking about, and maybe where he was going with this. The little guy tried to keep calm, swallowing his lump, and took some deep breaths. Luffy took notice of his doctor's unusual state of mind, and put a hand on his small shoulder.

"Are you okay, Chopper?" The captain queried, afraid of what'll happen next. "Do you know something?"

The doctor was so close to crying, but he tried to hold his tears back. He tried his hardest, seeing Zoro on the opposite side of the Sunny. However, Zoro nodded his head, meaning Chopper could tell Luffy what he deserves to know.

"I'M SORRY, LUFFY~!" Chopper bawled, tears flowing down his misty eyes like a waterspout in a rainstorm. All Luffy could do was hug him close, not caring about his vest getting wet. "I'M SO SORRY~! IT'S ALL MY FAULT~! WAAAH~!"

Luffy had his answer. Chopper knew too, but kept it hidden from him, though not without feeling guilty about it. The wail that he let out did get some of the crew's attention, and Zoro went to make sure everyone got out on deck. Not that Luffy cared right now.

"No, Chopper," Luffy whispered, "It's not your fault. It's not your fault at all. You didn't know either."

"B-But," The reindeer sniffled, "But I kept it a secret too! ***SNIFF!***"

"It's alright, Chopper. I'm not mad at you. I won't be, because I know you didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes, I did! I kept it a secret! Because I didn't want you to kill me or throw me out of the crew!"

"What?" Luffy questioned, "That's crazy! I would never do that!"

"I know now! I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have listened to Usopp!"

"Usopp?" The captain noticed at the liar, just standing there, sweating. Luffy shot him a betraying glare, and looked back to the doctor, wiping his tears on Luffy's vest.

As Chopper kept sobbing, Luffy had a thought crawl into the back of his head. It was now or never. He needed to know the truth.

"Chopper?" Luffy proceeded to ask, "Can you...? Um..."

"Huh?"

"This is hard to ask, but can you tell me who told you to keep quiet about the flag? If it was one person, or several?"

"It was... It was...! ***SNIFF!***"

"Who?" Luffy asked softly.

"IT WAS NAMI AND THE GUYS!" Chopper cried, "NAMI, ZORO, USOPP, SANJI, ROBIN AND FRANKY!" Luffy was silent as he let Chopper continue on. "They told me to be quiet about the flag! They all had reasons!"

Surprisingly, most of the Straw Hats didn't even react, except for Usopp, who looked shock. Brook looked surprised, too, even though he had nothing to do with it. He looked around him, to see everyone hanging their heads in shame, though Usopp sweated profusely.

"What kind of reasons?" Luffy asked, afraid of the multiple answers he'll get.

"Zoro said he wanted to keep quiet because he felt like he had to! Franky said he didn't want to face you or you'd hate him again! Robin said she wanted to fool you because she thought it was funny! Sanji said he wanted to keep you from blaming Nami for this! But Usopp and Nami... They...!"

As each of the crew was called out, they each looked down to the green grass. Zoro was hoping to face a berating, and personally felt relieved when found out. Franky took off his glasses, looking ashamed to be a part of this pack of liars.

Robin gripped her arm, looking away from Luffy. Sanji tried to light another cigarette, but yet again had no success, as he tried to strike harder.

Usopp and Nami both kept their heads down. They felt a tremendous pressure loom above their heads, as the grey clouds began to darken.

Everyone listened as Chopper finished his sentence.

"They didn't want to get insulted by you because they said you were an idiot of a friend! They all came up with this idea to fool you because they thought you were stupid!"

Another wave of contempt hit the squad of liars hard. It was this moment when they knew how much they screwed up.

Chopper continued to cry, and Luffy carried the reindeer into the kitchen, and walked to another door that led to the infirmary.

"Rest here, Chopper," Luffy said. "It's not your fault."

"***SNIFF!*** A-Aren't you going to punish me?" Chopper asked, his sniffles subsiding.

"No," the captain responded, "I'm not going to do anything like that to you."

"But-But what about the-"

"Let me worry about that, okay? Just rest, you've had a hard time."

"***SNIFF!* **O-Okay!"

Luffy smiled back for him, then walked out of the room, and closed the door behind him. He moved back outside, and closed the kitchen door. When he saw the rest of his crew out there, staring at him, his smile turned into a scowl. His eyes, that were green, began to change color again.

"You all know damn well what that was about!" Luffy yelled, getting his crew's attention. "Chopper told me about our flag getting stolen!"

Everyone, minus Brook, wasn't surprised with this. After all, they each came to the conclusion that Luffy would find out, no matter what.

"I don't believe it!" Brook exclaimed, "I never heard the pirate flag was stolen!"

"That's because they never told you, Brook," Luffy said, seething with great anger that could make a sea king tremble with fear. "They sure never told me, either, and they shut up Chopper when he learned the truth!"

"I-I can't believe this!" Brook turned to the other present crewmembers, "How could you lie about this?!"

"That's what I want to know!" Luffy shouted, "I also want to know why, from your own mouths!"

"Wait, Luffy!" Sanji cried out, attempting to calm the captain. "We didn't want to get you worked up! We didn't know how you were going to react!" Those were reasons some members kept quiet about the incident, except Sanji never expressed concern over what was best for the captain.

"Yeah!" Nami played along, hoping to keep her captain and _so-called friend_ from getting angrier. "We only wanted to keep you focused on the enemy, not the fl-"

"SHUT UP, YOU LYING BITCH!" Luffy bellowed with crimson eyes, scaring everyone on deck. But Nami was the most frightened one, by far. He never called her an insult like that. He wouldn't, even if there was some truth in that. But this time, he is tired, extremely pissed, and looked like he was about to kill someone. Maybe even her.

"I WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH! AND I WILL HAVE IT! HOW COULD YOU ALL LIE TO ME ABOUT THE FLAG?!"

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	12. Ch 11- The Last Straw

**Chapter 11- The Last Straw**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Saint Squallace, Beau-Père, Fixit, Seventy, and Scorcher © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

The clouds were very grey for what was going to be a calm afternoon. The wind began to pick up and disturb the still jungle trees.

At this moment, a figure in a brown cloak jumped from tree to tree. He was using one of his many abilities, Moonwalk, to kick up the air for his own travel. Once again on the move, it was William Henley, traversing the luscious green of the island.

'Come on, brain!' Henley thought to himself, 'THINK, THINK, THINK!'

Henley has been pondering on what to do for hours on end. He's fabricated plans, only to reach a dead end every single time. He knows that eventually, 'Straw Hat' Luffy, the one he screwed over, will want to die, and he doesn't want or need that on his conscience.

In a bout of frustration, Henley lands on the dirt, and dashes straight for a tree in front of him, and delivers several kicks to it with his bare feet. He doesn't just knock it down, he split it in half down the middle!

"Dammit!" He cursed, landing on his feet. "I've got nothing! I know the serum inside and out! How can I not have created a counter agent?!"

He walked on the trail, kicking up some dirt beneath his feet. Feeling tired, he dropped himself against a tree.

"What can I do?" He sighed, "I'm a pathetic runt who manages to forget so much about my past, my valuable lessons, and even my father. I could really use a pep talk right about now."

When Henley said that phrase, something clicked in his mind. He didn't know what exactly clicked, but it was something about those words that were the key to all of Luffy's problems.

"Hey..." He breathed, standing up in a heartbeat. "I think I know how I can help him! Even if I can't, I can convince his crew to! They care about... Wait..."

Henley paused, remembering his brief fight with Roronoa Zoro.

_"He is smart, you know? He picks up on some things when concentrating."_

The half-breed remembered saying that, complementing the captain's observance to the swordsman, who began to part his look to the side. He also remembered yelling at Luffy about not having a trustworthy crew, though he was severely angry at the time. That's when he made a theory.

"I know that his crew cares about him, but could it be they aren't always honest to him? I wasn't all right back there, after all."

Henley had no idea how right he was, as there was a wedge being shifted between Luffy and the crew. That's when he decided: He has to go check on them and help Luffy now!

"Hope I'm not too late!"

Unfortunately for him, he will be too late. He was too late to apologize, and he will be too late to salvage this chain of events he set into motion.

XXX

At the Thousand Sunny, Luffy was giving an earful to his crew, right after he found out they lied to him about the incident involving the flag. Chopper was in the infirmary resting, after telling Luffy the truth.

"Do you guys even know what that flag represents?!" The captain questioned with a shout, "Do you?!"

The others stayed silent. They couldn't say anything to justify their actions without making Luffy more furious than he already was.

"That flag..." Zoro began to answer, mainly because it wasn't a rhetorical question. "It represents you and the straw hat you wear."

"Yeah, but not just that," Luffy responded, "It represents us! All of us and our friendship! How could you lie about our flag?! HUH?!"

"Luffy," Franky said, "We were guarding the ship while you and Chopper were left behind on Puzzle's ship. Remember? The rope that connected the Sunny to their ship broke, and we got separated."

"Yeah, and I _thought_ you could handle yourselves," Luffy pursed his lips together, "I mean, I _trusted_ you guys! Even you, Franky!"

The cyborg turned his back to Luffy, unable to stand the thought of looking at his captain. He angered the rubber boy before, but never felt bad until he got to know him. Now, he's feeling worse about his actions than ever.

"After all that shit you put Usopp and the rest of us through," The captain said, "I thought you were cool, a real man. You liked building things, you weren't afraid to show what you were made of, and you cared about your other friends, your brothers."

Franky dropped his sunglasses back onto his face, and kept avoiding making eye contact with Luffy, even with the glasses covering his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Straw Hat," He apologized, "What I did wasn't _super_ at all. I guess I wasn't man enough to admit it all and face you."

"Mr. Luffy," Brook interjected, "You can't fully blame Mr. Franky for what he did. Besides, he was afraid what you'd say and possibly do to him."

"What?" Luffy questioned, confused. "What do you mean, 'do to him?' What're you talking about?"

"Well, captain," Brook adjusted his cravat, "I've had my crew lie to me on a few occasions, over relatively minor details, and nothing as serious as this. But they all had one thing in common."

"What's that?"

"They were afraid about how I would react."

Luffy looked at Brook when he said that, then shifted his gaze to Franky, with Robin and Zoro standing next to him.

"Y-You mean..." Luffy slightly stammered, trying to follow what Brook said.

"Yes," Brook nodded, "I believe that that's why _some_ of them lied to you." While the skeleton stated his opinion, he also pointed out that the others didn't have a justifiable reason. Luffy then walked up to the swordsman and the archaeologist.

"So," He surmised, "You guys felt guilty over what you did, and you decided to keep it all a secret."

"Actually, Luffy," Robin explained, "We never wanted to hide the truth from you. At least, Zoro and I didn't. Franky also felt like doing so, too."

"But Franky suddenly decided to keep it a secret as well," Zoro detailed, "Mainly because Chopper wanted to keep it secret. They both were afraid something terrible would happen if you found out."

"Yeah," Luffy agreed with a hiss, scowling at Usopp. "_I know exactly what you mean._"

"Just know you have every right to be angry at us as well," Robin stated, "After all, I came up with the plan to fool you at the last minute, mainly for my amusement."

"And I decided to go through with it," Zoro went along in admittance, "Because I felt like I had to cover for them. It's not much of a reason, let alone a good one. I just, well, didn't want my pride to get hurt."

"I don't know," The captain thought, "You guys may be guilty, like the others, but you guys wanted me to catch you in this lie."

"I know I did," Zoro shamelessly divulged.

"Uh-Huh. You were also just looking out for Chopper, and you were protecting him for his sake."

"Yeah," Franky confessed, "That's sorta why I changed my vote at the last second."

"Look, I get that you guys aren't proud of what you've done to me. I know what it's like to be afraid of being hated by a person you care about. That's why I'm scared too."

"What?" Sanji questioned, as Luffy walked back in the center of the crew.

"I'm afraid that you guys will just decide to replace me because I'm an idiot," Luffy spoke up, "You all made a fool out of me, and I'm always the one who manages to do that on my own. It doesn't help that I can't do anything useful for this crew aside from fighting. I'm just dead weight."

"Look, Luffy," Sanji interrupted, "I know it's about what I said yesterday, and it wasn't like that! I was telling the guys that were there I was mad at you because... well, I was mad at myself."

"Huh?"

"I stopped you from seeing Nami the other day, and I acted hostile towards you because I was angry for being weak."

"Sanji, come on," Luffy replied, shaking his head. "Don't pull an Usopp and lie to-"

"I'm telling the truth here, dammit!" The cook yelled, reducing Luffy to silence and surprise. "I meant it when I said I was angry at myself!" Sanji sighed, and pulled out his lighter with another cigarette. "You want to know why I kept this a secret, too? I didn't want to put Nami in your crosshairs."

Luffy went from being shocked to bewilderment. He has no idea what 'crosshairs' even means. It didn't sound tasty, and that probably didn't mean anything good.

"Wait," Luffy said, gesturing Sanji to stop for a second. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean," Sanji clarified, "I didn't want Nami to be put through all of this, not after what that bastard said to her two days ago."

"You mean..."

"Yeah, that's right. I was so frustrated for being useless to her, I... decided to take it out on you. Just to make me feel better about myself, I guess. Maybe I'm punishing myself further just by doing that, I don't know anymore."

"Sanji..." Luffy face turned sympathetic, putting a hand on Sanji's shoulder. However, Sanji removed his captain's hand from his suit.

"No, Luffy," He said with a denying hand gesture. "I don't want you to feel for me. Not after what I did, or what I've said."

"I'm not so sure about that," Luffy replied, then asked a question. "You wanted to keep the truth from me, right?"

The cook sadly nodded, "I convinced the others to go back for the flag and grab it before you came back. I didn't want for us to tell you that it got taken under our noses."

"Well, you did that. You got the flag back, and I was fooled." Luffy turned his back and scoffed, "Like there was ever any doubt."

"Luffy..."

"No, no," The captain shut Sanji down before he could deny that statement. "I already admitted I'm an idiot, okay? We're past the point of pretending I'm not."

"Luffy," Zoro said, "We know what we did, and we're sorry we've done it."

"No," Luffy proceeded to correct, "Only _some_ of you are sorry you did. The rest of you are sorry that you got caught, and are probably wishing I was even more of an idiot!"

"Mr. Luffy-" Brook tried to reason, but got cut off by Luffy.

"Don't try to coddle me, Brook," He flatly spoke, "I already know you guys took advantage of me. I also understand that you wanted to keep this a secret because you were worried about me." He took a deep breath, and exhaled, glaring at each of his present crewmates.

"I can't pretend that this didn't happen, like I can't pretend that some things aren't my fault when they were. I'm an idiot, and it's my fault for being born that way. For being born the 'son of the devil.' Tch."

Luffy brought his line of sight to the grassy deck, letting his hair move with the wind.

"I can't blame you for the lies, Zoro." The swordsman looked stunned when Luffy said that. Even the others that got called out. "You either, Franky. Robin. Sanji. I'm definitely not blaming Chopper for this. You weren't there, Brook. Even if you were, I'd doubt you'd go through with it, but I could be wrong."

"Captain, I-" Brook made the attempt to speak his mind, but was cut off again by the captain.

"I can't blame you guys for this. You never meant for it to go this far. But..."

Luffy's face darkened, he shot his face up at Usopp and Nami, who were sweating pretty badly until they got scared by him, and he suddenly grabbed them both by they're arms.

"...I CAN BLAME YOU FOR WHAT JUST HAPPENED WITH THE FLAG!"

"Luffy!" Sanji ran to separate the captain from the two, but Zoro held him back. "Moss-head, let me go!"

"Wait a sec, Curly Cook!" Zoro responded, "Just watch. This had to happen eventually."

"Wait, Luffy!" Usopp pleaded with a lie, "It wasn't like that!"

"LIAR!" Luffy bellowed, crushing the rightly called liar's arm with a squeeze. "I heard Chopper, and so did you! He said you and Nami didn't want to be scolded by an idiot, meaning me!"

"Chopper was..." Usopp's face was riddled with sweat and fear, "He was probably just... Lying!"

Luffy's face grew more furious when Usopp dared to call Chopper a liar. Even he knows that while Chopper is scared of many things, he's no liar. Then, Luffy looked like he seemingly calmed down. He breathed, and let go of both Usopp and Nami. What happened next was completely unexpected.

***WHACK!*** An extremely disconcerting sound echoed throughout the deck. What each of the crew saw was Luffy giving Usopp a backhanded smack across his left cheek. Usopp stumbled from the blow, and landed on his butt. He looked up to see a pissed off captain grab him by his collar and roar in his face.

"SAY THAT SHIT TO MY FACE AGAIN! I DARE YOU! I DARE YOU TO CALL CHOPPER A LIAR AGAIN!"

"OKAY, OKAY!" Usopp reflexively covered his face with his hands and closed his eyes, "I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN IT!"

Luffy wasn't satisfied. He lifted the sniper up and shook him like a ragdoll. After a few times, he brought him up to his face.

"I said I was sorry!" Usopp begged, "I didn't mean to!"

"How could you?" Luffy's tone of speech grew unusually deep. "We were friends, Usopp. I forgave you for what happened at Water 7. How could you bring yourself to lie to me again?!"

"I...I..." The liar stuttered, being too frightened to speak.

"ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!"

"Because we thought we could pull it off!

Luffy let go of Usopp almost instantly, letting his rear meet the ground once more. As the coward scurried away, Luffy looked behind him to see who said that, though he already knew.

"Nami?"

"You were always easy to trick, Luffy," Nami said, somewhat stoic. "Sometimes a little more than Sanji."

Sanji's cigarette fell from his mouth when she said that. Sure, she may have mentioned that a few times, but this is the first time she said that without any charm, let alone remorse.

"So," Zoro stated, letting go of the cook. "The witch reveals the kind of person she really is."

Nami shot a glare at Zoro for that remark, who evilly smirked in kind. It sank when Luffy glowered at him, and walked up to Nami.

"Why did you go along with this?" He queried, not changing his expression.

"You know why," Nami muttered, "Because you were always easy, and I didn't want you to yell at me because you were stupid."

"_That's it_?" Luffy flatly questioned, "You didn't want me to yell at you?"

"What else do you want me to say?"

"I should've known," Luffy muttered, "You've never had faith in me. You've let on that much. Even after everything I've done for you, you never did trust me."

"Luffy-"

"I should've seen this coming, from you, Usopp, everyone aboard this ship!"

"Um, Straw Hat?" Franky called out, but Luffy continued on.

"Maybe I was wrong about you guys being sorry. Maybe you all lied to me because you don't trust me!"

"Hold on a second, Luffy!" Zoro tried to calm his captain, "We really are sorry for this!"

"You all _almost _fooled me again!" Luffy yelled, staring down his crew. "You really think I'm that _stupid_, you thought you could trick me twice, after Chopper told me the truth!"

Nami steered her face to the side, avoiding eye contact at Luffy.

"Luffy, wait a moment, please!" Brook pleaded, to no avail.

"You've all tricked Brook into believing you guys, but you all failed!"

"Luffy," Usopp began, "I know I've lied to you a lot, but I swear there's nothing going on this time!"

"You're pathetic, Usopp! You're trying to lie to me, even after knowing what all these lies are going to cost you!"

"No, Luffy! I swear-"

"JUST SHUT UP!" Luffy yelled, startling Usopp. "I can't believe anything you say to me now!"

"Look, Luffy, we-" Sanji tried to reply, but got cut off by Luffy once again.

"As far as you guys are concerned, I'm just a stain on your lives!" Luffy shouted.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Nami yelled, making the captain look back at her.

"_Now_ you tell me I matter?!" Luffy furiously questioned, "Where was that encouragement when I needed to hear it from you, huh?!"

"Oh, so now _I'm_ supposed to hold your hand now?!" The navigator retorted, "Is _that_ what you wanted me to do?!"

"I WANTED YOU TO _TRUST_ ME, YOU BITCH!" Luffy growled in front her face, making her sweat, shut up, and take a few steps back. "I wanted you to trust me after what happened with Shiki, but I guess that was asking too much from you."

"Luffy," Nami started to argue, "I didn't have any doubt you could beat Shiki, but he almost killed you, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, and Chopper the first time you fought him! He was a powerful madman!"

"Not to mention he was one of Gold Roger's greatest rivals," Brook added, "At least, the last I've heard."

"Yeah, _thanks_ for reminding me, Brook," Luffy sarcastically addressed the musician, then turned around to face Nami. "But he kidnapped you! I wasn't gonna let him get away with that! You were my friend!"

"_Were_?" Robin questioned, "As in, past tense?"

Luffy scoffed, and walked away from Nami. "I still wanted to trust you, even when you didn't trust me, Nami. I considered you a friend."

The captain sadly frowned, and put his hands in his pockets. "I considered everybody on this ship my friends, and... Nami..."

Luffy paused, wondering privately if he should tell her. He took a breath, and saw the crew was waiting for whatever Luffy was going to say next. The navigator, in particular, wondered what he was waiting for.

"No, that's not important anymore," Luffy decided, and moved to another topic.

"When Ace left my home to become a pirate after he was old enough, I was alone. I had no one to help me, no one to rely on. Grandpa, he wanted me to be a marine, and all he's done is hurt me and put me in trouble. Because of him, I couldn't go to some school and learn. I couldn't make any friends my age because they think I'm a stupid freak."

Robin sighed. She knew what that was like, being a victim of scorn at such a young age.

"Ace and... another kid, they were the only ones who cared about me. That great friend... He moved on to a better place, and Ace would have to leave me eventually. There was a girl I knew, but later on, I learned she hated me, the hard way."

"Luffy..." Brook mumbled, hearing about this someone a second time from the captain, who crossed his arms and went on.

"I wanted to find some friends that would care about me, guys who had dreams, and were okay people. I was desperate enough to keep you guys as my friends, I was willing to forgive and forget some things."

Everyone saw Luffy's expression turn even more miserable, and from the looks of it, He was almost about to cry. "To be honest, I wanted to forgive you and forget what happened with the flag. But there's a problem with that. I've done some thinking, which must be surprising for you guys. I know I'm stupid, and after hearing you guys lie to me, I realized something I'd never thought I'd think."

"And... What's that?" Usopp asked, swallowing a lump in his throat.

"Maybe... The real problem was me," Luffy answered, with a few tears falling from his eyes. "Maybe I chose the wrong friends all along."

"What?!" Most of the crew yelled in disbelief.

"Luffy, you can't be serious!" Sanji protested against the captain's assertion.

"We'd never do anything to hurt you!" Zoro concurred.

"Too late," Luffy coldly responded, still crying. "You just did, from the minute you lied to me. All because of who I am."

"Luffy, that's on me and Usopp," Nami stated, "I thought of you as a fool first instead of a captain and a friend. That's my fault."

"And that was your first mistake!" Luffy fiercely pointed at Nami, who took it as a sign to step back some further. "Your second mistake was hiding it from me! If you told me you lost the flag, instead of lying to me about it, I would've understood you guys!"

"You would've?" Franky pondered aloud, raising an eyebrow.

"But no! You guys thought you could get away with it! Your lies did more than cover it all up! You all betrayed me! YOU BETRAYED MY TRUST!"

"You're right," Zoro agreed, closing his eyes. "We screwed you big time, Luffy."

Luffy ignored the swordsman and wiped his tears.

"And I had to find out," Luffy sniffed, "After having one bad day after another! I've learned it's all my fault that you didn't trust me, Nami."

"Luffy..." Nami quietly murmured, almost prepared to reach out to him. "Why do you think that?" He couldn't answer, because he never heard her ask.

"After what happened with Usopp, Robin, and the Going Merry, I was feeling pathetic! Useless to everyone! I can't protect you, let alone myself! I couldn't win against Shiki the first time, and Nami got taken because I'm weak! Bad things really do happen around me! All because I'm the devil's son!"

"Don't even think that, Luffy!" Franky ordered, approaching the captain. "Being born who you are doesn't decide the kind of person you're gonna be forever!"

"No?!" Luffy looked straight up at the cyborg and glared at him. "Tell that to the marines! I didn't even know I was the son of a wanted man! If the World Government finds out, they'll send everybody in their group to kill me! But I don't care anymore. They can do what they want to me!"

"Oh, no..." Sanji began to sweat, anticipating Luffy's next move. "Luffy, don't say something you'll regret...!"

"_It doesn't matter anymore_," Luffy seethed, "I can take a hint. None of you want me on this crew now. I've outlived my usefulness, assuming I ever _had_ any."

"No, Luffy," Usopp shook his head, "We don't want you to leave!"

"You could've done a mutiny. It would've saved you from getting caught, but I guess you wanted to _use_ me like the idiot you think I am. Well, I'm done!"

"Luffy!" Zoro pleaded, "Don't say it!"

"I'M DONE WITH YOU GUYS," Luffy said, with uncharacteristic stoicism. The words themselves had cut deep into the crew that heard him. They have driven they're own captain to leave.

Everything looked like it turned white for an instant. While that wasn't the case, the crew was nevertheless shocked.

"All I do is cause you guys pain," The 'former' captain stated, walking towards the gangplank. "I'm doing you a favor by leaving this crew. I'll be doing you a favor by leaving this godforsaken world for good."

"Luffy, wait," Nami meekly called out, somehow managing to make her voice heard. "You can't do that...!"

"I can, and I just decided. I've quit, so that means I don't _have_ to listen to your whining anymore." He stopped short of the railing and looked behind him to see Nami walk up to him. "It's clear now that things can never work between us. Not that they ever had."

"But what about your dream?!" Zoro questioned, "What about being the king of the pirates?!"

Luffy turned his head to Zoro, and replied, "It doesn't matter to me anymore."

Zoro blinked, unable to believe what Luffy said. He didn't care about his dream anymore!

"I don't care about it. And whatever happens to me, I don't care!"

"Luffy, please-" Nami tried to stop Luffy from leaving, but he hopped on the railing, and looked back to his former crew.

"Don't any of you follow me!" He shouted for them to hear as the wind harshly blew. "I don't ever want to see you again!"

He turned around and went down the railing, but Nami persisted. She got on the railing to run after him.

'It's all my fault,' She thought, 'It's my fault this is happening! Please wait, Luffy!'

"Nami!" Sanji cried out in concern, but the wind was blowing at an uncontrollable, deafening all sound. "Wait!"

"Luffy, stop!" Nami exclaimed, running behind him and grabbing his shoulder. But as she did, Luffy turned around and punched her in her right eye!

The world turned cold and had come to a standstill. Each of the Straw Hats were trying to process what was happening. What they saw was Luffy, their captain, brutally hit Nami. She fell to the sand, and Luffy's scowl turned to fright as he saw what he had done. He couldn't hear her call out to him, and had no idea she was actually running to stop him.

"Nami!" Luffy shouted, bending down to and trying to get some kind of reaction from her. However, there was no movement. He struck her in the eye so hard, she possibly passed out from the blow. He grimaced, "I... I didn't mean to..."

"RRAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHH!" Sanji roared, running from the plank and striking Luffy in the face as hard as he possibly could. The attack sent Luffy flying to the trees of the jungle, and he collided with one of them, toppling it.

"You hurt Nami, you motherfucker!" He yelled, picking up Nami, bridal style. "Go on, get out of here!"

"CHOPPER!" Brook yelled, running to the infirmary. "CHOPPER, COME OUT HERE, PLEASE!" He slammed his boney hand against the door several times until it opened.

"Brook?" Chopper looked up from behind the door, rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"It's Nami! Luffy hit her, and she's not moving!"

"What?!" Chopper screamed, running for his bag. "Lead me to her!"

As the musician did that, Zoro was forced to be held back by Franky and Robin, who were trying to keep him from brutalizing Sanji with his swords.

"Let me go, dammit!" Zoro furiously shouted, "He's going to pay for that! I'll cut his lungs out while he's breathing!"

"Zoro, calm down!" Franky ushered, lifting him by his hands. "Don't make me knock you out!"

"Please, Zoro!" Robin begged, using her powers to keep Zoro's legs from kicking Franky. "It's not worth it!"

Sanji carried Nami back to the Sunny, and put her on the grass as Chopper came out.

Outside the ship, Luffy got up from the grass, and saw the ship. He sadly frowned, and he began to walk through the jungle. However, a few feet of walking, he saw _that person_ walk up to him.

"Hey!" Henley called out, running up to him. "Straw Hat! Let me help-!"

"YOU!" Luffy roared with fury, rushing to punch the redhead in the gut. "GUM-GUM BULLET!"

The hit connected, and everything turned black and white for just a moment.

"UWWAAAAAGGGH!" Henley cried out in pain, coughing out blood. That punch, to him, felt like a gunshot the size of a matador charging at him, with an indescribable force of pressure being sent out from his back.

The half-breed fell to his knees, and coughed, gripping his mouth. He also clenched his stomach, feeling a stitch on his belly tear and reopen a wound. He looked up to Luffy, seeing his face coincide with another face from his past.

"Enough," Luffy coldly spoke in a deep voice, though to Henley, he saw someone else. "I'm getting sick of you_, you little piece of shit_."

That someone else, was another person Henley had hoped to forget about. He was nothing more than a silhouette, but Henley didn't need any light to shine on him to remember.

"S-Saint...!" Henley whispered, his face turning pale from fright. "S-Saint... S-Squallace...! Why are...?!"

He then realized was just hallucinating, and shook his head to see Luffy make the attempt to run off further into the wilderness.

"Straw Hat!"

Luffy, hearing this person call out to him again, turned around, just to deliver another blow to him.

"GUM-GUM PISTOL!" Luffy stretched his arm out to send his fist at the poor fool's face, once again making contact. Henley collapsed once more, and the _former _captain took off, but not before being certain he couldn't get up again.

He didn't care where he was going or what was going to happen next. He wanted no part of his _former_ crew anymore.

He wanted to be isolated from them. He had no idea he was going to get his wish.

XXX

"Are the traps set up?" Beau-Père questioned, looking around the area.

There were lots on nets hanging from the tree branches, and some bushes and leaves covering up these pits some of the men had dug. Also, some of the marines were hiding in the bushes, armed with only swords and clubs.

"Yes, sir!" Fixit replied, "As you can see, we have outfitted this area with your typical traps for wild animals."

"Good. Scorcher, Seventy!" He called out to his other high ranking men, "Are you in position?"

"Does a cannon need big balls?" Scorcher answered with a question, sticking his head out from a bush, just a few yards away from the first set of traps. The question made the commander and Fixit sweat-drop.

"You really might want to rephrase that question," Seventy mused, climbing up a tree with ease.

"Please, you two," Beau-Père pleaded, "Stow the banter until after we have captured Straw Hat Luffy."

"Sir," Fixit questioned, "What makes you think he'll come running here?"

"It's simple," Beau-Père answered, turning into a puma-human hybrid. "I get him to come to us. Just be ready when he comes." He began to jump up to the trees, and ricochet from one tree to another, off to fulfill his mission...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

A/N: Please, do comment if you feel like doing so.


	13. Ch 12- The Hunt

**Chapter 12- The Hunt**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Beau-Père, Fixit, Seventy, and Scorcher © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Author's Note: (I've decided to include a few tracks from a few of the One Piece Movies to enhance some of the scenes I've written here. You may have to search for them to listen to them, though.)

The wind was howling, disturbing the trees of the jungle. The seawater was splashing against the side of the ships docked in the port, and raising the island's tide, if only slightly.

With a storm slowly coming to the island, every inhabitant has taken refuge in they're houses. The streets were empty, save for the marines patrolling the area. They have taken it upon themselves to guard the island's village, and the moss-layered wall that safeguards the people from the wild animals.

Pirates would also be wise to take their troubles inside their ship, where it would be safer. But even with the Straw Hat Pirates, there is nothing short of conflict, which is what led to the captain, Monkey D. Luffy, to leave his crew behind. Now, their quarrel has gone to new heights, with the navigator's unconsciousness due to the _former_ captain, though not intentional, and with the incident in Lovely Land playing a role in Luffy's resignation from the crew.

"Luffy's gone, and it's all your fault!" Brook shouted, reprimanding the entire crew, minus Chopper, and rightfully so. They moved into the aquarium room, as the outside was currently no place to hold a conversation. "I just can't believe you would do this!"

"Keep sayin' what you want, Brook," Franky said, arms crossed and looking down to the floor in shame. "We deserve whatever comes our way. We never should've went along with this."

"YOUR DAMN RIGHT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE!"

"Yeah!" Chopper concurred, water drops seeping from his eyes at a steady pace. He was on the sofa behind the fish tank with Nami laying down next to him. He was placing a cloth filled with ice cubes around Nami's bruise on her eye. "I shouldn't have kept quiet about this, if I knew this was gonna happen!"

"Listen, Chopper..." Usopp spoke up, attempting to reason with the doctor. "We thought, well, I thought it was necessary, and-"

"Necessary?!" Chopper bitterly questioned, "You call lying to a friend necessary?!"

"Everyone, calm down, now!" Sanji ordered, his voice, of all things, silencing everyone. "We need to stay calm, and think here!"

"_Think_?!" Zoro intensely repeated, "Oh, sure! Let's think about this, like what you did to Luffy as he left us!"

"He hit Nami, you selfish misogynist!" The cook argued, "He shouldn't have done that to her! She didn't deserve that!"

"Tch," Zoro clicked his tongue and crossed his arms, "Of course you'd say that! That little runt was right about one thing! She's nothing but a greedy, gold-digging bit-!"

"ENOUGH!" Robin shouted, bringing silencing every voice in the room. "Will all of you stop acting like self-centered, self-entitled children for once in your lives?! In case you forgot, our captain is lost somewhere on the island and we have to get him back!"

"B-But," Usopp was going to point out something, but Robin interjected, shutting him up.

"I know he told us not to follow him," Robin stated, "But when he threw his authority away, he lost the ability to order us. Nothing he says can stop us from getting him back."

"But he willingly left the crew," Zoro interrupted, "And it doesn't sound like he wants to come back."

"I don't think he was in his right mind when he left us. I can't exactly tell, but something may be making him fall into a state of despair."

"I think I get what you're talking about, Nico Robin," Franky responded, "Luffy doesn't usually have any green eyes. You guys noticed, right?"

"Hey, yeah!" Chopper exclaimed, "Luffy did have green eyes! You think that that has something to do with what happened to him?"

"Hold on a second," Usopp gestured the group to slow down, "Let's say it is making him leave us. Then, suppose we find him before something bad happens to him. How are we gonna get him to return to us if he won't come back?"

"We'll just have to convince him when we find him, I suppose."

"Robin, I don't mean to be disrespectful," Sanji spoke up, "But I don't think we should let him back in the crew."

"What?!" The guys questioned as the archaeologist and Zoro, to a lesser extent, remained stoic.

"I'm not surprised," Zoro mused, "Luffy does one thing to her, and you-"

"Shut up and listen, Moss-head!" Sanji commanded, "I'm just saying, we can't let him back in the crew like this, even if he wasn't in his right mind. The fact is, under the influence or not, he left, and prior to leaving, he assaulted a woman, who is a crewmate. He shouldn't be let back in unless he apologizes for his actions to Nami!"

"That whore is the reason he was driven away in the first place!" The swordsman yelled, "We all are! Luffy never would've done these things if we came out and admitted that we lied to him! He never would've left if she told him about the last part of that damn message she left us after Shiki took her!"

Sanji opened his mouth in an attempt to counter Zoro's statement, but he realized something: Zoro was right. While they all had a part with pushing Luffy away and making him lose his faith in the crew, Nami never admitted the last part of that message to Luffy. He got upset over that, and hasn't exactly talked to her since. That's why he didn't want any more mention of Shiki.

"You're right..." He confessed, "I hate to say it, but you're right. But still, that doesn't mean he should've hit her...!"

"Even I don't think he should've done that, Sanji," Brook agreed.

"Well, think what you want," Zoro huffed, "As far as I'm concerned, she had that coming a _long_ time ago. She deserved it, and I don't care if Luffy wanted to do that or not."

"Hey, Sanji," Usopp chimed in, "If you wanna know, I don't think Luffy meant to hit Nami that hard. I don't know if you saw it, but I saw Luffy's face when he turned around. He looked... horrified."

"Usopp," Chopper sighed, "I want to believe you, especially about that, but..."

"Oh, come on!" The liar groaned, "I'm telling you the truth this time! I've got great eye vision here! I saw Luffy look terrible!"

"I... saw it too..."

Every gaze in that room shifted to Sanji, looking at the lit cigarette he held in his fingertips.

"I saw his look," He amended his statement, "Right when I kicked him..."

"Ngh..." Nami stirred, slowly waking up.

"Nami!" Sanji called with surprise, getting down to her side. "Nami, are you alright?"

"Sanji, don't get close!" Chopper ordered, "I still need to treat her."

"Chopper...?" Nami queried, trying to sit up. "Where am I?"

"In the aquarium room, right now," The doctor replied, "Don't move, and don't open your right eye. I'm going to use this cloth that's filled with ice and place it around your eye."

"What... happened?" Nami felt the wet cloth touch her bruise, and winced a little. The pain stung, but she's been through worse.

"You were out for, I guess a couple of minutes. Now hold still, please."

"Where's Luffy?"

"Ms. Nami, don't you remember what happened a few minutes ago?" Brook asked, then Sanji led him away from Nami.

"Don't ask questions like that to a lady when she just got injured," Sanji lightly berated, "Don't listen to him, Nami. Not right now. Just focus on getting better."

"No..." Nami closed her good eye and shook her head, "I remember... Luffy... and he... hit me."

"Nami, please don't think about that right now," Sanji implored, "You still need to-"

"No, wait!" Nami jolted up from the couch, startling Chopper into almost falling off the couch. "Luffy! He walked away, didn't he?! Is he still on the island?!"

"Last we saw him, he was," Franky answered, "He walked off after Sanji kicked him after you got punched out cold."

"What?!" Nami angrily questioned, setting her sights on Sanji. "You attacked him?!"

"Now, wait, Nami!" Sanji begged, taking some steps back when she got up and started to advance towards him. "He hit you, and I had to protect you before-"

"Okay, you know what?" Zoro interrupted the scene that was about to unfold, "I was gonna sit back and watch you slug the prince of dumbass kingdom, but we don't have time for this. If we're going to actually _help_ Luffy, then we can't try and kill each other here."

Nami looked at the swordsman, then returned her gaze to the sweating cook. She huffed, and went for the door.

"You're right, Zoro," She agreed, "Luffy comes first. We've got to find him. The winds will be a little troublesome, but we'll manage. Besides, he'll do something stupid if we don't stop him."

"Like what?" Usopp pondered aloud.

"He said he'll be doing us a favor by leaving the world. I know what that means, and I don't like it!"

"And as long as he's in that state," Robin pointed out, "He might actually kill himself."

"W-What?!" Chopper exclaimed, jumping off the sofa. "Then we _have_ to find him!"

"Come on!" Nami motioned, but then, Sanji got between her and the door.

"Sanji!" Usopp yelled, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Nami," Sanji began, "Don't take this the wrong way, but you can't go out there. Not when he may hurt you again."

"What?!" Nami questioned, "Luffy's not that kind of person!"

"Remember," Usopp butted in again, "I said I saw Luffy look terrible up until you kicked him! Besides, you said you saw him with that look, too!"

"W-Well..." The cook stammered, "I don't want to take that chance! You're hurt!"

"It's just a black eye, Sanji!" Nami argued, not turning around once.

"The wind-!"

"Screw the wind! We'll be fine! Now, quit treating me like a little girl and move!"

"Nami-"

"DID I STUTTER?!" Nami screeched, grabbing him by the collar, and opening her right eye up. It hurt her to do that, but she'd never admit that, not when something else is at stake here.

Sanji had been reduced at a loss for words. He sweated profusely, and he knew she wasn't going to back down now. He sighed a breath of defeat, and once she let him free, he opened the door.

A gust of wind came through the room and forced the door open, taking the Straw Hats off guard, but only for a second.

"Come on!" Nami shouted once more, and the entire group went to follow her lead, fighting the force of the gale.

"I really hope Nami can stand the pain," Robin muttered, "This all must be taking a toll on her."

"You know none of this would've happened," Zoro pointed out, "If she were straight with Luffy, instead of trying to avoid all of her problems, right?"

"I suppose..." Robin then turned her attention to Chopper as the crew walked down the gangplank. "Is her eye...?"

"If she doesn't have any vision problems," The doctor said, "She'll be fine. But she needs some treatment when we get back here!"

'She won't be the only one...' Zoro thought, tying his bandanna around his head. 'Come on, Luffy! Be alive when we find you!'

XXX

Meanwhile, a few minutes before the search for Luffy begins...

"NGGGGAAAAHHH!" Luffy grunted in frustration, running through the forest. He had been running for who knows how long, and he was pissed off, just like yesterday and even before that. He just needs to vent his greater anger on something.

"Screw them! Screw them all! That runt tells me a bunch of crap, Nami gives me crap, and my damn friends lie to me! I wish I never see any of those bastards again!"

He kept running, oblivious to a shadowy figure stalk him through the trees. He was moving fast, able to keep up with the athletic boy. The figure reveals himself to be Beau-Pére, and he was prepared to make himself known.

"Tempest Kick Artemis Arrows!" Pressing his feet together, Beau-Père sends his feet forward, launching a burst of air at his target in the form of a large arrow, which proceeded to split into about twenty smaller arrows. They collided with the ground, almost sounding like bullets meeting a wall.

Luffy gasped, and jumped and rolled forward, and turned around to see who attacked him. No one was there.

"Who's there?!" Luffy shouted, getting up from the grass floor.

The Commander appeared behind Luffy for a minute and pushed him before disappearing again, no doubt using another ability he learned.

Luffy turned again, took on a fighting stance. Whoever was antagonizing him, they were still there!

"Show yourself, dammit!" He demanded, even though it was futile to make such requests.

"Tempest Kick Luna Boomerang!" A well-polished dress shoe made a kick, and sent out a bright blue slash looking like an eclipse, and spinning at astonishing speed straight to Luffy.

The attack went past Luffy's back, but it tore a bit of his vest. The eclipse attack went on to chop a few trees down for another twenty or so yards before ceasing. The boy saw the trees level before his eyes, and he gritted his teeth and looked around, trying not to lose his cool, whatever he has left, at least.

'Well,' Beau-Père thought, hiding in the trees. 'Enough charades. Time to lure the prey.'

"Tempest Kick Puma Prints!" He jumped down and delivered a barrage of kicks to his target.

Luffy looked up, and was too late to block or dodge in time. He felt like he was getting hit by eight or nine feet every second. The assault stopped, and Luffy skid along the ground with his back.

"AGGGGHHHHHHH!" Luffy writhed, not expecting an aerial technique like that.

'Damn!' He cursed in his head, 'I should've been more careful!' He jumped up to face his attacker. "A marine?!"

"To answer your question as to who I am," Beau-Père said, "I am Beau-Père. Commander Beau-Père."

"Commander?" Luffy questioned, "So, you're just like Smokey, huh?"

"You mean Commodore Smoker? Well, he has a much higher rank than I do, and his powers are vastly different from mine, but yes. I'm like him."

"Wait, Commodore?!" The former captain exclaimed, "I thought he was a captain!"

"He got promoted, thanks to your appearance in Alabasta. While your fame increased, he was given a rank up, though, from what I've heard, he didn't sound too thrilled by it. Can't blame him."

"Well, if you're here, then are you trying to...?"

"Capture you, yes. I was ordered to by the fleet admiral and your grandfather, Vice Admiral Garp."

"Of course," Luffy sighed. "Gramps sent you. Why am I not surprised?"

"Just come with us, quietly, without trouble. I don't want to hurt you."

"Well, too bad. You came at a bad time, and I'm really pissed off. So, I guess I'll have to take it out on you!"

Luffy ran right at Beau-Père to tackle him, but he vanished in thin air, leaving Luffy to land on the dirt.

(BGM: Luffy vs. Ratchet Round 1, from One Piece Movie 7: The Giant Mechanical Soldier of Karakuri Castle, by Kouhei Tanaka)

"I must warn you in advance," The Commander's voice could be heard throughout the entire area, "I was properly trained to fight!"

Beau-Père appeared behind Luffy, who turned around and growled as he charged at him.

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy sent his fist out to his the Commander square in the nose, but he dodged to the side. The boy still charged at him, intent on landing a hit.

"Gum-Gum Bullet!"

"Iron Body!"

The gut punch that Luffy used collided with Beau-Père's stomach, but it felt like hitting iron, as the technique's name would suggest.

"What the-?!" Luffy questioned, then was pushed back by his opponent's fingers.

"Finger Pistol Single Action!" Beau-Père put his index finger and middle finger together, shaping his right hand like a revolver, and jabbed into Luffy's shoulder, sending him back a few feet.

"AAGGHHH!" The boy clutched his shoulder in pain. Even if the attack didn't pierce his skin, it felt like something hard was making his surprise foe feel tougher than he looks.

"What're you made of anyway?!" Luffy questioned, dodging a leg sweep and an array of fist and leg attacks.

"Simply the right stuff, my boy!" Beau-Père replied, then jumped above him to do a quick somersault and bring his heels down on the young lad.

"Tempest Kick Iron Hinds!" Luffy jumped to the side before the back of Beau-Père's shoes could strike him. The move left a moderate-sized crater in the ground.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" He elongated his arms behind him, and launched his hands to afflict damage to the commander's chest. It worked, and his opponent grunted as he was pushed back.

"Gum-Gum Stamp!" Luffy followed up that attack by outreaching his foot to hit Beau-Père's face, and sent him back further.

Beau-Père slightly hissed from the blow, and proceeded to activate his Devil Fruit, turning into a human-puma hybrid.

"It's clear to me," He said while transforming, making Luffy look astonished. "That I can't afford to take care in avoiding injuries done to you. I am here to capture you, and I will do so."

"You..." Luffy muttered, "You're just like that pigeon guy!"

"Rob Lucci," Beau-Père mused, "I am not like him, boy. Allow me to prove why."

XXX

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the jungle...

"Ugh..." Henley groaned, slowly getting up. "What... happened to me?"

His question was answered, when multiple arms trapped him, and he was pressed against a tree by Zoro.

"Don't move," Zoro commanded, unsheathing Shusui and holding the sharp part against his neck. "Unless you want a full view of your body from the ground up."

"Oh, Roronoa Zoro," Henley greeted, "Let me guess, you're out to find your captain."

"We all are," Franky chimed in, making Henley look and see the entire crew glaring at him. "And you probably know where he is."

"And you'd be right," The half-breed responded, "Since he's the one that slugged me."

"Where is he?" Nami asked, walking towards him.

"How about you let me go, and I'll show you the way? You can't beat that deal. Plus, it won't cost you a berry."

"How about this?" Nami countered, "You tell us now, and we'll consider it. But don't, and you're dead where you stand."

"Fine," Henley sighed, "I only said it because I want to help."

"_Right_," Usopp spoke up sarcastically, "Because you're the god of congeniality. I'm not sure we can use your help."

"He's right, little dude," Franky concurred, "You did something to Luffy, and now he's gonna do something bad."

"You think I don't know that?" Henley bitterly questioned, "I know I'm guilty of that, and I'm sorry! I just wanted to help him. That's why I snuck aboard the ship yesterday."

"Wait," Zoro realized, "You came aboard the ship to talk with him?"

"You were there, Roronoa," Henley turned his eyes to Zoro, "You saw what happened when I told him what that substance I gave him would do to him."

"Now that you mention it, you did." Zoro released his grip on the redhead, though Robin still held him with her powers. "You also said there's a way to stop whatever was happening to him."

"Well, there is," Henley began to admit, "But at the time, I was lying to him."

"You were what?!" Zoro almost went and sent the tip of Shusui across Henley's face, until he spoke up again.

"But I figured it out a while ago!" Henley explained, "I know how you can help him out now! Honest!"

"How do we know you're being honest this time?" Sanji asked, blowing a good amount of smoke in the captive's face, making him cough.

"I do drastic things when I'm cornered, okay? I only do stuff like this because I have something to live for. That's why I don't want to die now. Because if I die, so does someone else."

"Someone else?" Usopp pondered aloud, as the captive brought his head down with remorse.

"And now, your captain got caught up in my troubles, and it's all my fault he's become the way he is. His brother would never forgive me if he found out, and I'd never forgive myself for letting this happen."

"Wait a second," Chopper said, walking up to Henley. "You knew Ace?"

"Wait, you knew Ace, too?"

"Stop right there for a minute!" Franky shouted, slightly sweating. "You guys aren't talking about Portgas D. Ace, are you?!"

"Oh, right," Nami facepalmed, "We forgot to tell some of you guys this, but Ace is Luffy's older brother."

"WHAT?!" Franky exclaimed, "You're kidding!"

"Interesting," Robin mused, "The 2nd division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates is Luffy's brother."

"Whitebeard...?" Brook mumbled, "I've heard of that person back in my past. One of the strongest pirates, if I recall."

"Uh-Huh," Henley nodded, "And that guy is one of the Four Emperors of the sea."

"Four Emperors?" Brook questioned, but then Nami interjected.

"Dwell on that later, Brook!" She then grabbed the slightly shorter young man by his cloak, and scowled at him. "You still haven't answered my question. Where did Luffy go?"

"I don't exactly know," Henley confessed, "But I remember him running down this path until he knocked me out. We can catch up to him if we hurry."

"We?" Nami questioned, "What do you mean, 'we?' What makes you think we'll take you along?"

"Well, for starters," Henley explained, "I could've fed you a load of crap and escaped whenever I felt like it. Secondly, you don't have anything I want, save for a cozy ship compared to a raft with a tent on it. But more importantly, we have a common goal here: The safety of Monkey D. Luffy."

That last statement got the crew thinking long and hard on the matter. He was right about that. He cared about making up for his mistakes, and he sounded sincere about it.

"I'm asking as someone hoping to make amends. Will you let me help you?" He even bowed his head to them for good measure, hoping they do.

Nami, still keeping one hand on the half-breed, looked to the others, each of them thinking about it.

Sanji approached her and whispered, "We need him to tell us how to cure Luffy."

Nami let go of Henley, and nodded to Robin, urging her to release him. She cancels her powers, making those extra arms disappear into flower petals.

"Let me make this clear," Nami said, turning around to look at him. "This is only temporary. Once we get Luffy back, you beat it, alright?"

"Understood," Henley replied, "Besides, I have a deadline to keep. The sooner we can help your boyfriend, the sooner I can leave the island. I've taken up too much of my time here as it is."

Most of the Straw Hats looked at Henley in shock. This guy actually went and called Luffy Nami's boyfriend, something he's most certainly not. Nami blushed at that statement, Chopper blinked a few times and looked at the others, not understanding the context of that statement, and Robin had to stifle her laughter. Everybody else's jaws hit the ground, however.

'T-This guy...' Zoro thought, twitching his eye. 'Does he even know...?'

"B-B-Boyfriend?!" Nami stuttered as her cheeks turned profusely red.

"Hmm? Henley questioned, then realized what he said. "Oh, I'm sorry! I-I got carried away with what I said!"

"Got carried away?!" Usopp repeated, "Buddy, you jumped the shark with what you said!"

Someone else, however, was smoldering with fire all over him. To no one's surprise, it was the cook, coming down with anger while keeping a cool composure, and running straight at Henley.

"Uh-oh," Henley whispered, "Shave!"

He disappeared, quick as a wink, before Sanji's leg could strike him. The foot only collided with the tree behind the vanished redhead, and tore it up from its roots.

"WHEN I FIND YOU, SAUCE-HEAD, I'LL BURN WHAT'S LEFT OF YOU INTO THE FOOD!" Sanji furiously roared, until Nami bonked him on the head.

"Okay, enough of that!" She shouted, "We've got to find Luffy!" Henley reappeared, and nodded.

"She sure recovered quickly, didn't she?" Brook evaluated, with Usopp and Chopper nodding in agreement.

"Let's go!" Zoro yelled, and ran off... in the other direction.

"Zoro!" Franky called out, "You're going the wrong way!"

Nami and Henley groaned in exasperation.

"Please tell me _that_ doesn't happen often," The half-breed implored, leading the crew in the real direction.

"I wish it didn't," Nami could only say in response, following him.

XXX

At the same time...

(BGM: Gomu Gomu is Ineffective, One Piece Movie 2: Clockwork Island Adventure, by Kouhei Tanaka)

"HA! YAH!"

The fighting has gone on for a few minutes, and despite what some would be led to believe, if there were witnesses, there is one who has the advantage. At the moment, Beau-Père is backing up and blocking Luffy's strikes, while retaliating with his own.

"You're good," Beau-Père praised, "But you're going down hard!"

"Oh yeah?!" Luffy questioned, "I'm just getting started!"

The two kept trading punches and kicks, both blocking each step of the way. Until...

"Finger Pistol Puma Fangs!" The Cat Commander swiped his hands down, one after the other, and shot out claw mark slashes at Luffy, who dodged both and jumped out of the way.

"Tempest Kick Puma Tail!" Beau-Père swerved his body and swung his tail at Luffy, releasing another burst that collided with his stomach.

"Ugh!" Luffy grunted, feeling the impact. Strangely enough, the attack didn't seem to cut into him.

"Wait," He said aloud, "That should've hurt a lot more. Does that mean...?" He looked at his feline-like opponent, and thought of Lucci in his leopard form.

"Does that mean you're weaker than Pigeon Guy?!"

Beau-Pére sweat-dropped. 'Does he not know I'm holding back so many destructive skills right here?!' He thought, 'Someone like him should have guessed my level of strength, since he's the one who fought people like Arlong and Lucci!'

"Eh, whatever!" Luffy ran at Beau-Père and jumped above him, stretching out his leg.

"Gum-Gum Battle Axe!" The former captain dropped his foot on top of Beau-Père, but sidestepped, and grabbed his stretched leg. The next thing Luffy knew, he was slung around like a whip, until he was thrown to the trees.

Upon getting slammed, Luffy dropped to the ground, tasting grass. When he got up, he realized there were strips of green in his mouth, and promptly spit them out. He had to spit a few more times to make sure he got them all.

"Son," Beau-Père told the young pirate, "Just make it easier on yourself and give up. Or, just run away. I'll give you a head start."

"What kind of guy do you think I am?! I never run from a fight!"

"But you were running from something. Care to share what, or who?"

"What do you care?!" Luffy angrily questioned, "You've never met people who lie to you about stuff!"

"Hmm?" Beau-Père raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about?"

"Just shut up!" The former captain seethed, "Life sucks anyway! As far as I'm concerned, I don't care what happens! Try and kill me if you can!" Luffy planted his fist on the ground, and proceeded to use his second-tier ability. "Let's see how you like this!" Using his legs like a pump, Luffy's skin turned pink once more, and steam ejected from his body.

"SECOND GEAR!"

Beau-Père's expression became stoic, but on the inside, he was feeling sorry for the boy.

'This boy...' Beau-Père thought, 'Something must've happened to him to make him act like this. This wasn't in Garp's description of him.'

"Okay, Mustache Guy!" Luffy yelled, glaring at Beau-Père, "Let's go!"

The Commander breathed and stared at the boy. 'You should've just run away, son,' He brooded, 'It would've been easier on me if you did, but you just made it so much easier to lure you in the trap.' Now, Beau-Père was prepared to do his job, begrudgingly, of course.

"Shave!" When Beau-Père disappeared, Luffy followed suit, and it has become a chase throughout the jungle. The two come back into view, but only to either repeat the process, or exchange blows.

In a sped-up form, Luffy now leaps from tree to tree, with the puma man keeping up and matching his pace. They continue to trade punches, and land on the floor.

"Gum-Gum Jet Pistol!" Luffy punches Beau-Pére from a far distance, and manages to hit his face, throwing him slightly off balance.

"Jet Whip! Bazooka!" Following up with that, Luffy moves up to the Commander and strikes him with an extended leg, and with two quick hands to the chest.

"Gum-Gum Jet Rifle!" Beau-Père staggered back, but dodged when Luffy came at him with a twirling right arm.

"Tempest Kick Puma Tail!" The Cat Commander tried to strike Luffy again with his tail, but he hopped above it to strike hard on the man with another attack.

"Gum-Gum Jet Rain!" Sending his fists several feet above land, Luffy spared no expense and hit him as fast as he could.

"Jet Spear!" Luffy placed his feet together to strike Beau-Père's stomach, making him cough blood.

"Jet Bell!" Finally, Luffy brought his head to his foe's face, and sent him in the ground, making a man-shaped imprint.

When Luffy landed on the ground, he ceased his form, reverting back to normal. He breathed heavy, and looked at his downed opponent.

"Phew," He breathed, "I got him."

"Ugh..." The marine sat up from his hole and rubbed his head. Luffy gritted his teeth.

"Crap!" He cursed, "I thought I had him beat!"

"You really think..." The puma man began to question, stopping to wipe his bloody mouth for a second. "That those moves were enough to stop me?"

"I thought they were, to be honest..." Luffy admitted, taking in some more breaths.

"Hmph," Beau-Père grunted, making a smug sneer. "You, of all people, should know, there's more to a person than meets the eye."

Luffy raised an eyebrow at the marine. There was something about that grin that looked familiar, but that didn't matter.

"Okay, listen," Luffy said, staring at Beau-Père. "I'm having a very bad day here. I've had to put up with a lot. So, how about you do me a favor and stay where you are so I can kick your ass into next week?!"

"How about, no?" Beau-Père answered, before disappearing and appearing again, feet, perhaps yards further away from the rubber boy.

"Moonwalk!" Next, he took to the air, utilizing yet another ability of his fighting style. "Can't catch me like this, No Straw Hat!" Winking at Luffy, he took off, leaving his prey in the dust.

"GRRRRRRR...!" Saying that Luffy was getting pissed off is an understatement at this point, since he's seeing so many similarities to Henley, when they fought in the jungle and on the Sunny. That mocking tone, that contemptuous grin, and the fact that the redhead he fought mentioned something about a marine teaching him those moves. It's all clear now. This marine taught Henley how to fight!

"So you're the one...!" He seethed, running to catch up to him. "You taught that guy how to fight like a dick!"

"Hmm?" Beau-Père lost his grin to confusion as he kept traversing in midair. "What is he talking about now?"

"That redheaded Fish-Man!" Luffy shouted, making Beau-Père look down to him in surprise. "He attacked me, and did something to me! And if you taught him, then it's your fault I'm stuck like this too!"

"W-What...?!" The marine pondered, then stopped to land on the ground. "What's this about Henley?!"

"That guy did a bunch of things to me!" Luffy yelled, "If you didn't teach him to fight like that, none of this would have happened!"

"What did you do to him?!" Beau-Père interrogated, his eyes darkening with Luffy's rising temper.

"He ruined me! He screwed me over, and my crew hates me! But that's not all! If I weren't stupid, they wouldn't have lied to me and betrayed my trust! Now I'm _really pissed off_! Come on, Mustache Guy! YOU CAN'T BEAT ME!"

"I didn't lure you all the way here to be beaten," The puma man stated, returning to his human form. "I was going to approach your ship, and lure you, and perhaps, your crew out here as well."

"What...?!" Luffy raised his eyebrows, wondering what he was saying.

"Whether you came alone or with your crew," Beau-Père continued, "It didn't matter. Your arrest was planned before you were even aware of what was happening."

Beau-Père snapped his fingers, and a couple of marines with clubs jumped out to attack Luffy!

(BGM: Musshul Vs Luffy- Defeat or Musshul Vs Luffy Haiboku, One Piece: Episode Of Chopper Plus, by Shirou Hamaguchi)

Luffy was so shocked to see some marines hop out just like that, he almost forgot to fight them off.

"Gum-Gum Gatling!" He sent a flurry of outstretched fists to push a few of them back, then turned around to see a green blur with something silver hit him in the face!

"Aah!" Luffy grunted, getting knocked back.

"Screw Driver!" Fixit jabbed the ends of his two silver tonfas into Luffy's stomach, before putting them together with his arms.

"Open Hood!" Next, he performed two uppercuts at once, hitting Luffy in the chin, pushing him away further.

"Ugh!" The pirate grunted, feeling the force of the tough weapons.

"Mons Meg: Nets!" Scorcher jumped out from the bush in and fired the cannons mounted on his shoulders, revealing two nets with two silver cords each tied in their center. The nets wrapped around an off guard Luffy's arms, suddenly making him feel weak. Then, as he felt his strength diminish, he was yanked hard by the smiling man with a matchstick in his mouth.

"Match Lock!" Scorcher then restrained Luffy by performing an armlock, lifting him by the shoulders using his arms. Luffy was looking tired, making the attempt to struggle from the taller man's grasp. Being caught up in his fruitless attempts to get free, he fails to notice...

"Reticle Shot: Tranquil Dart," Seventy, sitting on a tree branch, shot a white dart with a pink feather from his brown rifle. The dart traveled a while in the air until it hit Luffy's neck.

Luffy grunted while he felt something hit his neck. He averted his gaze to the dart, and realized what was happening.

"Ugh... No..." He muttered, "I can't... lose..." He started to feel sleepy. That's when Scorcher let him drop to the ground.

He tried to crawl away, but it was no use. His vision was getting blurry, and everything was turning to darkness.

Luffy collapsed, defeated.

"Great work, boss!" Scorcher complimented, getting down on one knee to remove the nets from Luffy. "We got him!"

With two simultaneously pressed buttons, Scorcher's cannons retracted the loose nets back inside.

Seventy jumped down from the trees and landed on the ground, leaving a crater in his wake.

"Well," He said aloud, "That was underwhelming. Hard to believe he's the one the bosses are making a fuss about."

"We didn't try to capture him for the sport, Seventy," Fixit pointed out, putting his tonfas in the holsters behind him. "We did so because we were _ordered_ to."

"That's right, Fix," Beau-Père replied, looking sadly at the boy.

"You know," Seventy began to state, "That dart I shot has a small dose that'll keep him down for a few minutes. Don't you wanna put the Sea-Prism Stone Cuffs on him now?"

"Hmm?" The Commander questioned, "O-Oh, right. Somebody get them on him."

"Boss, you alright?" Scorcher questioned, looking concerned. "You look a little pale..."

"I'm fine, Scorcher," Beau-Père answered, "I was just thinking about so much..."

A soldier came around to Luffy and put his arms behind his back, cuffing him.

***CLICK!***

"Alright, boys," Beau-Père proceeded to order, "Let's go. We got who we came for."

"Wait a sec," Seventy interjected, "What about the other Straw Hats? They may come looking for him."

"Come on, you don't think that, do you?" The shoulder cannon marine questioned, "I mean, sure, the idea's there, but when a pirate captain is captured, usually, the crew abandons him. I wouldn't be surprised if this crew does the same."

"She won't!" Beau-Père exclaimed, taking the entire squad off guard. They never saw the Commander react like that before.

Realizing what he did, Beau-Père cleared his throat, maintaining his composure.

"I mean, they won't," He corrected, sternly looking up to Scorcher. "This is the same crew of pirates who declared war on the World Government to rescue one of their own. They will come, so don't underestimate their measure of camaraderie unless you want our base to become a repeat of Enies Lobby's destruction."

"Um, yessir!" Scorcher sweated, standing at attention.

"Leave the traps as they are," The Commander directed, "Because of my skirmish with the lad, the pirates will follow the path to here. These traps should slow them down until we can get back to the ship."

"Sir," A lower ranking marine asked, "Give the order and some of us can stay to fight them!"

"No, I won't do it," Beau-Père shook his head, "Not again, never again. You're in my unit, and as such, are my responsibility. I can't force you to risk your lives if I know it'll all be for nothing. Besides, there's no need to throw them away when we've accomplished our mission."

"You're very kind, sir," Fixit said, before smirking. "Maybe _too kind_..."

"What?"

"Yeah, a _real softie_," Seventy mused, grinning underneath the mouthpiece of his extended neck brace.

"What?"

"Can I borrow ten thousand berries, boss?" Scorcher smiled, holding his gloved hand out.

"What?!"

Some of the marine soldiers stifled their laughter as best they could, but couldn't after Scorcher went and did this.

"Oh, commander, my commander!" He shouted, lifting the unconscious Luffy up and twirling him to Beau-Père. "Please take me into your arms, and hold me tonight!"

Beau-Père caught Luffy, and the marines started laughing.

"Scorcher!" The Commander yelled with comical shark teeth, "Don't twirl the pirate around like that!"

"Oh, look!" Scorcher exclaimed, "The prince has arrived for his sleeping love!"

The entire squad started laughing uproariously, some with tears running down their eyes.

"I have to deal with this group every day..." Beau-Père lamented, sighing from exasperation. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was smiling inside. "Alright, you've had your fun. Now we really must get going."

The laughter died down, and Fixit took to the lead as Beau-Père handed Luffy over to Seventy, who lifted the very short boy with ease.

"Fall out, men!" The Commander instructed, and the marines did just that with a "Yes, sir!" from each one.

They moved past the traps and went on the trail leading to the wall of moss. On the way, Beau-Père looked back with a sad expression.

'Nami,' He thought, 'Don't come this way, please. It would be easier if you forget about him...'

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	14. Ch 13- Luffy Gives Up

**Chapter 13- Luffy Gives Up**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Beau-Père, Fixit, Seventy, Scorcher, Ashley, and Wonderland Island © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

They have been running in the wilderness of the island for such a long while, they almost forgot how long they've been at it. The wind was surely picking up, and the trees began rustling through the breeze.

Right now, Henley and the Straw Hats were searching for Luffy, who has run off to whereabouts unknown. This uneasy partnership was only concocted for the former captain's well-being, and it'll end as soon as Luffy's safety is ensured. The crew has told Henley what Luffy has done prior to leaving, and in return, he has explained the functions of the serum he gave to Luffy.

"And that's what my substance has done to him," He summarized, "He'll reach a broken state of mind in a matter of hours, plenty of time for you to reach out to him!"

"You're a bastard, you know that?!" Chopper yelled in his walk point, "Your work of chemical science is turning Luffy into a wreck!"

"I know that, Doctor Reindeer!" Henley snapped back, "But I didn't make it for him! It was for someone else! I swear I never would've made it if I didn't lose my memories!"

"What do your memories have to do with that thing you made?!" Zoro questioned.

"I... I don't want to talk about that. It brings up someone I lost to violence. Besides, all you need to know is I've made grave mistakes, and that you can punish me for them later! Your captain is in need, and I can help you with that!"

"You wanna help?" Usopp queried, "Then tell us if we even are on the right trail, because all I can see are trees!"

"Alright, then!" Henley replied, pointing at a hole in the ground. "Look! That hole couldn't have been caused by erosion!"

"Huh?" Usopp raised an eyebrow, looking at Henley.

"What?!" The half-breed scoffed, "You never heard of rocks and dirt breaking apart before? Usually, the ground would slightly break apart from wind or water agents. But that hole, it looks like it's man-made!"

"Then that must mean someone came around here!" Brook exclaimed, holding his hands behind his back, running to match the half-breed's pace. "Someone very strong!"

"That looked like some kind of a crater..." The half-breed mused, then raised his voice. "Wherever your captain is, he's not alone anymore! Tread carefully!"

"You're the last person in the world I want to hear that from!" Nami angrily retorted, "Especially after what you did!"

"What I did?! I may have started this affair, but you guys mentally damaged Luffy far more than what anyone could've done! You told me that you lied to him very badly! And then, I hear from one of you guys that you beat him on a regular basis for making mistakes! Maybe he had the right idea in running away from you!"

"What was that?!" Nami was getting more furious, "Are you saying he was better off without us?!"

"I'm saying he was better off with a group of friends that actually acted like friends and cared for him despite his troubles and thoughts and mannerisms! But NO! You kick him and beat him for doing or saying the wrong thing, and tell him it was justified!"

"Listen to this guy, witch!" Zoro commanded, staring her down while running through the jungle. "He's got a lot of important things you should know! We all should know this stuff!"

"Look, if you all _actually_ cared about Luffy, then you should've known that he doesn't like lies being told, let alone about that Jolly Roger of yours! Lying to him about that was a dick move, and you should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"You think we aren't?!" Franky sharply fired back, all the way from the back of the group. "I know for a fact we are!"

"And now, the consequences are catching up to you! Even if we manage to save Luffy, can you say he'll forgive you?"

"Unlike you, we're his friends!" Usopp interjected, "I'm sure-!"

"I said, _you_, Long-nose! Not me! I know he for a fact he won't forgive me, I actually hope he doesn't! But what about you?!"

"He's got a point, Usopp!" Nami called out, looking onward with shame. "Even if we save Luffy, he'll never trust us again!"

"On top of that," The swordsman pointed out, "We disrespected him from the moment we lied to him. He won't want to face us anymore."

"Which makes our efforts pointless, doesn't it?" Robin thought aloud, "If he won't forgive us, then what's the point of trying to help him?"

"Robin..." Sanji sadly looked to her.

"The point is to get him out of his state of despair," Henley stated, "You can work out you're problems after he's back with you, and normal. Come on!"

'I don't think he'll be normal even if we can save him...' Nami thought, parting her eyes away from the group. 'I actually won't mind if he hates me after all of this... _After all I've done_...'

XXX

Meanwhile, at the walls of the island's village...

Luffy slowly woke up to the sound of footsteps meeting the floor. He stirred as his eyes showed him the grass, then simple sand blowing along the road.

"Where... am I...?" Luffy weakly said, feeling the loss of his strength. He looked up and saw some marines walking behind him, armed. The former captain also saw he was being carried by a large marine, who wore a different outfit compared to the others. The area around him looked like a simple town, along with a wall coated with moss. This barrier had a gate, which started closing due to the marines had already entered.

"Where's that... Mustache Guy?" He muttered, trying to see where he's being taken too, which was difficult, in itself.

"Oh, you're awake, finally," Seventy stated, having noticed Luffy wriggling around his shoulder.

"Who are... you?" Luffy pondered, not exactly understanding the situation.

"Me? I'm the guy that knocked you out."

"You...?"

Seventy nodded, "That's right. Hey, you wanna walk?"

"Eh..." Luffy was still feeling weak, but he felt like he can still do that. "Yeah..."

"Alright, I'll set you down."

The burly marine did exactly that, and let the pirate try to walk, though he still held onto him, to make sure he doesn't escape.

"So," Luffy began to speak again, "I guess you caught me. Where are you gonna take me?"

"Back to our base," Seventy said in response, "We'll just load you on our ship, and go there."

"And that means..." Luffy looked to the side, almost trying to think, until Seventy answered him.

"Your friends are probably going to try and follow us, but I'm not sure they're going to make it here in time."

"Well... that's fine."

"Hm?" Seventy, confused, looked at the pirate, stricken with gloom.

"I don't really want to see them anyway. Maybe I don't... want to see them again."

"W-What...?" Seventy looked disturbed, hearing Luffy say that. He heard that Enies Lobby was destroyed because Luffy wanted to save Nico Robin, and was told firsthand by Beau-Pére not to take the crew's friendship lightly. In his mind, that meant Luffy considers his crew to be his friends, which makes what Luffy said puzzling.

"I don't really care what happens anymore," Luffy then told the stocky sniper, "You tell Mustache Guy he can take me to wherever, for all I care."

"Well, that might not be necessary," Seventy answered.

"How come?"

"He heard us already."

"Really?"

Beau-Père looked behind him as he heard Seventy say, "He's got super hearing. He's spent years training his senses, after all."

"Oh, okay," Luffy nodded.

'You poor boy,' The Commander privately mused, also appearing unsettled. 'What has happened to you to make you look so... desolated? Without spirit?'

It was then Beau-Père decided he would talk with his prisoner aboard the ship, where he would at least know what was wrong. He didn't know why he wanted to know, but he thought he should. It's almost like he wants to help him.

XXX

Meanwhile, past the walls of the village...

"Are we there yet?" Usopp panted, slowing down a bit.

"NO!" Everyone except Robin shouted, easily irritated at the sniper. He's been asking that question for a while now. It's been at least ten minutes since Henley and the Straw Hats have been running in the jungle and some of them are getting very tired.

"I..." Nami tried to speak, but began clutching her chest, almost being unable to keep up with the running. She slowed, breathing hard. "I don't think... I can take much more... of this...!"

"You have to!" Henley responded, sweating from his cheeks. "We've passed some kind of crater in the ground! I think we're getting closer!"

"You think?!" Sanji questioned, "That's not good enough!"

"We've been running for a while," Zoro interjected, "And I don't think you've gotten us closer to finding Luffy!"

"I'm sure he's still here in the jungle!" Henley argued, "Also, this trail leads to the village! If he's not here, then he should be there!"

Suddenly, almost like clockwork, Brook steps into some leaves strewn in a small pile, and a rope ensnares his leg, hoisting him up into the air!

"UWAAAAA!" He shouted upon springing the trap, then dangling behind a tree.

"Brook!" The crew shouted, stopping in their tracks.

"Don't worry about me!" Brook replied back, brandishing his sword beneath his cane. "I'll catch up with you!"

"He's right!" Henley agreed, "We have to keep moving! But watch out for some traps!"

"I think I see one right there!" Robin stated, using her powers to brush some leaves off, revealing several rope traps. One of them caught Robin's sprouted arm, and she deactivated her powers before she could feel her true arm tear out of her socket.

"Are you alright?" Franky called to Robin, who clutched her shoulder, feeling the last trace of the tug. She nodded in assurance, and pressed on, until Usopp stopped the group.

"Hey, look!" He exclaimed, pointing further down the road. "There's some kind of pit trap in front of us, with some pressure plates on the grass, too!" As he said that, Brook cut the rope holding him above ground, allowing him to land on his feet. "I think when you press them, something comes out, but I'm not sure..."

"Okay, then let's take care of them!" Franky then opened his left hand up, preparing to fire on the traps.

"No offense, cyborg," Henley said, "But just shooting at them seems excessive, and besides that, you'll trigger them even with the shooting."

"What do you mean?" Franky asked, and Henley motioned him, Zoro, and Sanji to come with him.

"I've seen these traps before," The half-breed explained, inquisitively looking ahead. "You step on a plate, and a log or some form of lumber comes out to swipe at you."

"And you know this, how?" Zoro queried, raising an eyebrow. He saw Henley wipe some sweat from his forehead, before answering...

"My mentor, a marine... made these for me. They were obstacles for me to get past."

"Wait, a marine?!" Nami cried, "If that's the case, then Luffy...!"

"Of course!" Henley realized, "The first crater I saw is caused by one of Beau-Père's attacks! That's why it's familiar!"

"Beau-Père?" Nami almost felt something click in her mind, as if she heard the name before.

"Anyway, if Commander Beau-Père caught your captain, then he's possibly leaving right now, with the captain in tow!"

"Then we have to stop him, now!" Chopper shouted, almost ready to dash through the traps.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Zoro put his arm out, keeping Chopper from running. "There's a chance we might be too late to stop them from leaving. But, in case we can't stop the ship from disembarking, then here's what you have to do!"

"What?" Some of the guys questioned, wondering what Zoro's going to say next.

"The cook, Chopper, Brook, and Henley, I want you to head back to the Sunny, and be ready to chase after them."

"Say we do that," Sanji began to ask, "What about Nami, Robin, and the rest of you?"

"We'll see if we can't stop them first. Go, now!"

"You sure you can handle the traps?" Henley asked, getting an answer from Zoro and Franky with a nod. "Okay, then."

"Let's go!" Sanji commanded, leading his group back the way they came.

"You think they can get to the Sunny in time to chase the marines?" Usopp pondered.

"Brook's exceptionally light," Robin pointed out, "Chopper's an animal with great speed, Sanji's also quick, and we've seen Henley's speed firsthand. I'm positive we can rely on them to return to the Sunny in time."

"Yeah, they've only been holding back on their speed just so we can keep up," Nami added, "But now, we've got to move!"

"Then let's go!" Franky roared, jumping over the pit trap with Zoro by his side. They both promptly ran on the pressure plates, seeing logs come out at them at a quick pace.

"Franky Boxing!" The cyborg quickly sent his fists at one piece of lumber, breaking it into a few pieces with ease.

"One Sword Style: 36 Caliber Phoenix!" Zoro cut his obstacle in half, using Kaitetsu III, and even destroyed some of the switches on the ground with that attack.

"Those guys sure are making short work of those traps," Usopp muttered to Robin.

"Indeed," Robin concurred, "Our strength does pale to theirs in comparison."

"Almost makes us feel useless to them, huh?"

'Useless, huh?' Nami quietly thought, looking down to the ground. 'I wonder if just like that, too... Maybe I've always been...'

XXX

Meanwhile, in the holding cell of the marine battleship...

The cell door slid open, the hinges shrieking as Luffy willingly walked inside. Even though he couldn't use his powers, not that he wants to anymore, he still has the energy to walk. While he sat down on the bench in front of the metal wall, the door closed with a clang, and a marine twisted a slightly worn out key inside the lock. When the connection sounded out, the marine punctually walked off, leaving Beau-Pére to emptily stare at the cell's inhabitant.

The former captain saw the Commander standing there, lost in thought, though that's not what Luffy thought when he looked at him.

"What are you looking at?" He questioned, turning to the side. "Don't you have other things to do than stare?"

"Oh, my apologies," Beau-Père spoke, escaping his own trance. "I didn't mean to come across as gawking. I was just, well... I want to talk with you, that's all."

"Talk..." Luffy mumbled, "Seems like that's all everyone wants to do with me."

"It's just..." Beau-Père murmured plainly, "I find it a little hard to believe that I'm talking to you. You, 'Straw Hat' Luffy, the young man who brought down Arlong, defeated Rob Lucci, and even the 'Golden Lion,' Shiki."

Mentioning Gold Roger's rival was a mistake on the marine's part, as he would soon see why.

"I'm so sick and tired of hearing that bastard's name!" Luffy hissed, "_Shiki this, _or_ Shiki that_! The only thing I remember about that fight with him was how _someone_ didn't have any faith in me!"

"I-I'm sorry," The Commander begged the boy's pardon, "I never meant to rattle you there. I just never expected you to act so... What are the words? Cynical and raving...?"

"Some friend _she_ turned out to be! I hope that-!"

"Slow down and calm down, young man. Anger won't do you much good, even if you weren't in this set of circumstances."

"What do you care?! You probably weren't betrayed by people who acted like your friends!"

"You don't know who I am," Beau-Père calmly pointed out, "So you can't assume I don't understand you."

"What do you know about getting betrayed anyway?"

"It's... happened a few times in my experience. I've even been hurt by a few lies I've believed. You wouldn't believe me, since I'm a marine."

"Don't feel too bad," Luffy proceeded to state, "I've been having a bad day, and I don't think I can trust my..." The lad stopped and breathed, almost calling his crew _friends_, something he can't see them as anymore. "I don't think I can trust the guys I left, since I found out they lied to me."

"I understand that it's none of my business, so I won't try to get involved in your problems. However, I do get what you're going through, and how you feel, since I've been there."

Looking at the Commander with a questioning look, Luffy asked, "You have?"

Beau-Père nodded, saying, "Severe betrayal is one of the hardest things to experience when you have known someone in the longest time."

"Yeah," The former captain responded, "I can't believe I forgot about that thing I heard. What was it called?"

"'Appearances can be deceiving,' is that the phrase?"

"Yeah, it was. I've been hurt by a person I liked, and I almost died for it. I guess I should've expected my friends would lie to me, since I'm an idiot."

"What? What do you mean?"

"If Gramps sent you, then he must've told you a few things, right?"

"Well, he did," Beau-Père scratched his head, "More or less. I've heard from him that you and he are alike, in a sense. I've also heard that you... um... Well, aren't bright."

'Which, coming from him,' The Commander thought, 'Is extremely hypocritical and degrading.'

"Also, he trained you, by... um... Throwing you down a chasm, tossing you in a jungle late at night, among other things."

"Oh, he said that, huh?" Luffy shifted a little uncomfortably, sweating a bit on his face.

"He also deprived you of a basic school education, which he considered, 'not important.' I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I don't think he was a good parental figure."

"Join the club," Luffy huffed, "Thinking back, he also hid something from me. My blood father."

"He told me that part, too. If word got out, you would've become a pariah of your home, and some marines would've done something about you. I believe that's why he-"

"I don't care if he did that do protect me!" Luffy snapped, taking Beau-Père off guard. "All I know is that I'll never have a father, let alone a mother to look to! I don't have anyone to go back to now!"

Beau-Père became silent while Luffy cooled down, though he was beginning to cry, fighting the urge to do so.

"Well," He said, "It's not like I don't understand why no one would want me, 'cause I get it. I even know why Nami and Usopp lied to me, since I found out from them myself."

"Hmm?" The Commander sweated, hearing Nami's name. Almost curious, he asked, "What are you trying to say?"

"Sometimes... I do stupid things. Things that make my _friends_," Luffy scoffed at the word, saying something else to describe them. "My crew, question why they even went along with me. With the way I act, they're kind of right."

"What makes you think that?"

"I'm an idiot. I can't do any other things that others can. All I do is screw up. Heck, it's all I'm good for anyways. I screw up, and they get the right to beat me and scold me in the end for being who I am."

"They... They do that?"

"I'm not even capable of being a captain. Besides that, they didn't want to get called out by someone who's more pathetic than them. That's why they lied."

"I'm honestly shocked..." Beau-Père wiped the sweat on his face.

"You don't really know these guys," Luffy uttered, "So don't sweat the details there."

"A little late for the 'sweat' part," Beau-Père mumbled, easing the tension for a little bit.

"Heh," Luffy chuckled, smiling a little bit.

"They'll come for you, you know," The Commander pointed out, unfortunately dropping Luffy's smile. "They won't abandon you easily."

"So, are you gonna fight them?"

"No, if I can help it. Why do you ask?"

"I don't want you to fight them," Luffy flatly said, "I also don't want you to hurt them."

"Well, that's what I'm trying to do. Now that we got you, we don't have to capture your crew. But they won't give you up."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they did," Luffy scoffed, "I'm a dumbass captain, so with me gone, they don't _have_ to do anything for me."

"I'm sorry," Beau-Père disagreed, "But I'm not convinced."

"How come?"

"You and your crew stormed Enies Lobby just to get back Nico Robin. And long before that, you and three other crewmembers fought Arlong for the sake of Nami and my home island. Tell me that-"

Beau-Père stopped short. He realized what he just said to Luffy, who looked at him with a little bit of shock.

"Wait, _your_ home island?" Luffy pondered aloud, "You mean Nami's home...?!"

"Yes," The Commander admitted, "Nami's home. Her adopted mother, one of Arlong's victims, was my sister."

"Wait, what?!" Luffy's jaw dropped, astonished. "Wait, I never knew her mother... Or that Arlong killed her..."

"I never attempted to hide this fact from you, young man. But this topic never came until just now."

"I... I never asked..." Luffy looked to the side, "I didn't know what that bastard did, aside from hurting her..."

"The important thing is the fact that they wouldn't abandon you, because of what you did for them."

"Yeah?" Luffy questioned, turning his head back to Beau-Père. "Well, they still hurt me, and probably forgot what I've done for them. I didn't help for the thanks, or for any glory, I just wanted to. I wanted friends."

The lad looked away once more, scowling and puffing, "But I think I chose the wrong ones. If they want me back, it's because they still want to _use_ me like the fool I am. I don't want that. Besides, I'm done."

Beau-Père gazed at Luffy, confused at the last part of the sentence.

"My dreams are pointless if I don't have anyone by my side," He said, "When I left my home, I wasn't just trying to be a great pirate. I wanted to be the Pirate King. That means being the freest person alive. But I couldn't do it without getting a crew, so I began to search for them. Up until now, I thought I could do it. I thought I could make my dreams come true, and help the others catch their dreams."

"But..." Beau-Père interjected, "When your friends lied to you..."

"Now," Luffy continued, "I'm not sure I can still be with those so-called friends of mine. I'm not even sure my dreams still matter if I'm with a crew that lies to me and betrays my trust in them. That's why I'm not waiting for them to do anything else to me."

"You're giving up? Just because of a lie?"

"They lied to me about our flag, the Straw Hat Jolly Roger, which represents our friendship. They didn't just lie about that! Nami didn't have any faith in me when I tried to fight Shiki. She even went with him! You know what that means?! It means she never trusted me! She's just like Ashley! She hated me and wanted nothing to do with me! I wouldn't be surprised if she hated me enough to kill me!"

"Now, hold on a minute, young man!" Beau-Père shouted, but before he could continue...

"Boss!" Scorcher's voice called out, running through the halls of the brig. "Hey, boss!"

"What is it, Scorcher?" The Commander queried, looking to the tall man, who stopped in his tracks.

"We heard from a local patrol officer that the barrier's gate is getting hammered at!" The boisterous man stated, "It's only a matter of time until it breaks, and you know what that means!"

"Then disembark, immediately!" Beau-Père ordered, and Scorcher ran off to do just that.

"I don't want them to follow us," Luffy coldly told Beau-Père, making him look back to the cell.

"Listen, kid," The Commander replied, "I know that you don't want to talk with them in light of what has happened. But they wouldn't abandon you. I've heard from Garp that Kuma, one of the Seven Warlords, came to Thriller Bark and appeared after you defeated Gecko Moria."

"Huh?"

"I also heard that Zoro, one of your crewmates, battled Kuma, after he became the only one left standing."

"Wait, who's Kuma?"

"He's another warlord, just like Crocodile and Moria, two of whom you defeated."

"Huh... You said he showed up at Thriller Bark?"

"And fought Zoro after you fell unconscious."

"R-Really?" Luffy looked at Beau-Père, wondering if he was being truthful.

"After Kuma fought Zoro, he left, likely sparing you and everyone else."

"They hid another thing from me," Luffy growled, "Of course they would...!"

"Now, wait a minute, boy," Beau-Père raised his arms, trying to calm down Luffy. "They likely didn't want to worry you about that, after your fight with Moria."

"They hid so much from me!" Luffy yelled, "What else are they trying to hide from me! More secrets?! As far as I'm concerned, they've done enough for me to not trust them again! I don't even want to see them again!"

Beau-Père stared at the former captain, startled and unable to react. He wasn't sure how to react.

'This boy,' He internally mused, 'This definitely wasn't in the reports I got from Sengoku and Garp at all. Something isn't right here...'

Now the Commander wasn't sure how to approach this topic without setting him off further, let alone depressing him further. All he can do is remove themselves from the island and return to the base.

"Is... this your answer?" He asked, wanting to be sure he doesn't want help from those he cares about.

"If they won't quit, I'll tell them to quit," Luffy retorted, "They can do what they want now. They can go to hell for all I care...!"

"Then... you'll have to tell them yourself, from a far distance, of course."

Luffy breathed, and stood up, walking to Beau-Père.

"Just tell me how I can tell them," He said, waiting for the Commander's reply.

XXX

Meanwhile, at the walls of the village...

"Strong Right!"

A metallic punch from Franky managed to break part of the gate, but not fully destroy it. He stepped aside for Zoro to finish the job.

"Tatsu Maki!" Zoro sent out a dragon tornado that was able to break open the gate, scattering the pieces across the area.

"Nice one, Zoro!" Usopp complemented, "Now we can go into town and find Luffy!" "Those traps were nothing but a pain in the ass," Zoro mumbled, tying "And if you guys decided earlier, we wouldn't have had to waste time figuring out banging on the doors or running around to your _secret hole_!"

To make this clearer, Zoro and Franky both had to fight through some traps, which took them around a few minutes, further delaying them from their objective. It took an extra five minutes to run through the trail to reach the moss-ridden barrier. To top that off, it took them an extra two minutes to figure out whether to decide an approach to enter the town. It's clear that there is no concise leader among the group.

"Well, I'm sorry for wanting to avoid having to fight!" Usopp shouted, throwing his arms up in frustration.

"If the marines were sent to capture us," Franky said aloud, "Then they expected us to come running out here. Meaning they would've gotten Luffy here, one way or the other. So there's no way to avoid a fight this time."

"That appears to be the case," Robin concurred.

"Come on!" Nami ran out into the town, prompting the others to follow her. "We can't waste any more time talking!"

'I have to at least do _something_ for Luffy!' She thought as the crew ran down the sandy street, 'I have to!'

Luckily for them, all they had to do was run all the way to the docks. It took a few turns, and a few minutes, but they made to the docks. More surprising was that no one got lost this time.

Zoro's look darkened while thinking, 'How come I feel like impaling the next person I look at or hear?!'

"Where's the ship?!" Nami yelled, looking around. That's when the wind picked up severely.

"There!" Franky shouted, pointing out the ship that already left port, heading out to sea. "I think I can see it!"

"No!" Zoro bellowed, "We've missed it!"

"Hey, you Straw Hat Pirates!"

The crew that was in the town turned upon hearing their group name being called out. It looked like a civilian, wearing plain clothes. He was walking over to them, carrying a Transponder Snail in his hands, keeping it from blowing away.

"Commander Beau-Père of the G-13 Base for the Marines left this for you! I was ordered to hand it to you!"

"Ordered?" Robin questioned, seeing Usopp take the snail from him.

"The ship has already disembarked!" He shouted through the gale, "Right now, it's heading for their base! That's all I know!"

"Why you-!" Before Zoro could do something drastic, Nami got in between him.

"Don't!" She pleaded, giving him time to run for safety. "He's not worth it! We have to get back to the Sunny!"

"Fine!" Zoro clicked his tongue, and looked at the battleship leaving the island. "He's alone in there, and we have to get him out."

"We will," Usopp affirmed, and the crew began to run left to the coast, where the Sunny was taking off.

XXX

Meanwhile, back at the Sunny...

"Come on, move it!" Sanji commanded, with Chopper, in Heavy Point, running to raise the anchor on the left side of the ship.

Making the return in record time, Henley and the quickest pirates managed to get aboard the ship and began to prepare it to sail.

Henley began to use his Devil Fruit, letting four hairy, bright gold spider legs grow from his back. Activating his powers also made him develop golden hair on the sides of his neck and along his wrists. To top it off, six patches of skin next to his eyes opened up, revealing three pairs of eyes. Two pairs of them were beneath his main eyes, while the other pair was about parallel to them, just off the side*.

Standing tall on the extra legs, he rose to a height that would reach Franky's shoulders, assuming he was there.

ARACHNID-ARACHNID FRUIT: MODEL COMB-FOOT.

(*Author's Note: You may have to visit a page on this guy to see what I mean, or draw out a description for yourself.)

"What the hell?!" Sanji shouted, hiding behind Chopper, who quickly grew to a smaller size to hide behind the cook.

"Oh, my!" Brook exclaimed, witnessing Henley climb up the mast with his extra legs. The half-breed proceeded to untie the sails, making the ship blow with the wind.

"Done!" Henley called out, jumping from the mast and landing on the deck. "Let's get this thing moving!"

"I'll steer the ship!" Sanji and Chopper yelled simultaneously, running to the helm.

"Huh, guess they're afraid of my form," Henley mused, reverting to normal.

"Strange," Brook thought aloud, "I thought Sanji was brave."

"I am!" Sanji howled, taking some steps up the stairs. "But I hate spiders!"

"You're afraid of spiders?" Brook tilted his head in confusion, then turning his gaze to Henley.

"Well, it's a popular phobia," Henley stated, "I wanted this fruit to strike some fear into the hearts of my enemies before I knock them out. But I wanted to make a few twists with my fruit, so I chemically modified it a bit."

"Wait a second!" The cook interjected, "You can modify Devil Fruits?!"

"Not exactly. This process only works with Zoan fruits. I needed to know the Devil Fruit I got before I can make some changes to it. I can use man-made chemical compounds and elements to create a variety of designs and forms to a Zoan fruit, except it has to be done before consumption. I'm not skilled enough to make changes to it after a person eats it."

"So..." Chopper depressingly mused as he steered the Sunny, "There's no chance I can completely turn into a human. I've tried to become a human, but I still look like some ungodly creature."

"Chopper, don't think like that," Sanji said, approaching the reindeer. "If you can't be a human, then be a monster who can protect those he cares about."

"A... monster that can protect those he cares about?" The doctor repeated, thinking to himself.

"Sanji!" Brook yelled, running up to the helm deck. "How are we going to get the others aboard? We can't just stop the ship, we'll lose Luffy!"

"I'm on it!" Henley responded, removing his cloak and additional accessories and handing them to Sanji. "Put these things somewhere where it won't get destroyed. Please."

"Why?" The cook questioned, "How do you know I won't throw these over the side?"

"I know you won't. You pirates don't seem to be the type who ruin innocent lives. So let me tell you what's important about that bag."

"Alright, what?"

"There's something in there I have to give someone at Wonderland Island. She needs it or she'll die."

"S-She?"

"That's all I'll say. Please keep it safe."

Henley, quick as a wink, jumped to the railing, and grew out his spider legs once more.

"Moonwalk Jumping Spider!" Using all of his legs, Henley leaped in thin air to travel to the coast of the island, moving at a much faster pace than before.

"My word, he's fast!" Brook exclaimed, but looked around to notice Sanji was running to the infirmary. "Sanji, where are you going?"

"Chopper, I have something to store in your office!" The cook shouted to the doctor, "I don't want anything to disturb it!"

"Alright, let me help you!" Chopper responded, running from the helm. "Brook, take the wheel!"

"Very well!" The musician darted up the stairs to fulfill the request.

Chopper opened the doors for Sanji, and closed them quickly to keep the wind from getting inside.

"Okay, where can we put this?" Sanji pondered, thinking about a perfect spot to put the items. As they decided on a good spot...

XXX

The other members of the crew were running on the beach area, trying to fight the wind blowing against them.

"Can you see the Sunny anywhere?!" Franky questioned, holding his sunglasses to keep them from being carried away by the current.

"I don't think so!" Usopp replied, squinting a little harder. "It's hard to tell, especially since the waves are really picking up!"

"This isn't getting us anywhere!" Zoro shouted, "We should've ran back the way we came!"

"Chopper and the others probably made it back to the ship right about now!" Nami argued, "They'll come this way!"

Little did they know that someone was watching them from afar...

XXX

"This modified telescope works out very well, Fixit," Seventy complemented, sitting on one of the mast's arms of the battleship. He was holding what looks like a standard telescope, up to his eye. "I can see their every move from here."

"I do have my moments," Fixit shrugged, feeling proud of himself. "Anything I make is always beneficial to you guys. You remember what you have to do, right?"

"Yeah," The stocky sniper responded, "Watch them until they get back on their ship, and give the Commander the go-ahead."

XXX

Forced to let the wind guide him, Henley let the flow carry him to his destination, the beachside of the island. He landed, and used his arachnid legs to scurry along the sand, making the attempt to find the other members of the crew.

"Jeez, this wind is strong!" He shouted aloud, "It's gonna be hard enough trying to get them all back to their ship as it is!"

Despite his groans, Henley persevered, moving along the coast for his search. He could feel the spray of the salty water meet his face. One minute was all it took to find the other pirates.

"Hey!" The redhead called out, heading to what he saw were five figures. "You there!"

"There's the runt!" Usopp hollered to his crewmates, pointing at the person in the distance.

"Does anyone else see that he looks different than before?" Zoro questioned, getting an answer when Henley scuttled before them, halting to lower his body to the sand under him.

"EEK!" Nami squeaked, immediately hiding behind Franky. "What the hell is that?!"

"Hmm," Robin inquisitively looked at Henley's current appearance. "It appears he has an arachnid-themed Devil Fruit."

"Brilliant deduction, Nico Robin," Henley couldn't help but gibe, "No one else could've guessed that better than you."

"Not gonna lie," Usopp mumbled, "He looks cool."

"You would think that, wouldn't you?!" Nami yelled, pretty much using Franky as a human shield.

"Anyway," Henley changed the subject, "We got the ship sailing, and we should catch up to that battleship."

"Okay, but how are we gonna get to the Sunny?" Franky pondered, crossing his arms.

"The same way I got on the shore," Henley replied, "I can take two of you at a time, and get you all aboard!"

"With that air hopping ability, huh?" Zoro raised an eyebrow, nodding. "Can you pull it off?"

"Of course!" Henley brought his right hand against his chest, pounding it with vigor. "Just climb aboard my personal express, and I'll take you anywhere!"

"No way!" Nami shook her head, "I don't want to be carried by any... spider-like freak!"

"Oh, like I never heard that before."

"Nami," Robin addressed, "Regardless of how you feel, we have to let him take us to our ship. It's the only fast way we know."

"If you don't feel up to it," Zoro mocked while smirking, "You're welcome to stay here. It just might make it easier for Luffy to come back without having to look at your bitch face."

Robin glared at Zoro for the insult, more disappointed in him. Usopp didn't know how to react to the statement, feeling conflicted, and Franky just sighed, turning around to face the navigator.

"Look, Nami," The cyborg began to level with her, "I don't exactly like this prick any more than you do, but he's sort of the only way to get to our ship."

"He's right, you know," The spider-hybrid indicated, "Your ship left the shore a while ago. Unless you feel like swimming in an ocean of happenstance, where _a lot_ of bad things can happen, you'll need me to carry you. I'm your only chance."

Nami looked to Franky, who gave her a look that basically says, "It won't kill you, just do it."

"If it'll help," Henley suggested, "I'll carry the long-nosed guy and Roronoa to the ship first. Then, I'll come back for you and the other woman, and finally, lift the big guy."

"Fine," Zoro approached the little man with Usopp, "But only because the witch is too much of a pussy to go first."

"God, Zoro," Usopp muttered, waiting for Henley to carry the both of them.

The redhead stood up with his spider legs, towering them slightly and proceeded to lift the two guys by their waists. He held Usopp in one arm, Zoro in the other, and used his extra legs to bend, preparing to propel upward to the sky.

"Moonwalk Jumping Spider!" Launching in the air, Henley continuously leaped along at an astonishing speed from the coast of the beach to the Sunny. It didn't take long for him to reach it, and dropped the two down on the grass.

"Ugh!" Usopp grunted, landing nose-first. He would have some choice words for the redhead, had he not jumped away for the others.

"Ah, Zoro! Usopp!" Chopper exclaimed, coming up to the two that landed before him. "You got back!"

"Yeah, but not gracefully," The sniper complained, rubbing his long nose with his hand while lying on the deck.

"As long as he got us back here, it doesn't matter," Zoro announced, lifting Usopp by the collar of his shirt.

"Hey!"

"Where's that snail?" Zoro raised his open palm, waiting for it.

"Huh?" Usopp questioned, until realizing what he was referring to. "Oh, here!"

Usopp dug his hand into one of his pockets, pulling out a Baby Transponder Snail. He then forked it over to Zoro, anticipating what was going to come next.

"That civilian was told to hand this thing to us," He summarized, "Because the marine ordered him to. But what does he want?"

XXX

"Um, Fixit?"

"Yes, what?" The mechanic questioned, seeing his sturdy companion's eye twitch.

"The Straw Hats are getting back together now," Seventy answered, handing the telescope back to its inventor. "But there's another guy there."

"Anyone we know?" Fixit asked, heedless of the answer.

"It's Henley," Seventy whispered through the nozzle of his unique neck brace. "The little guy."

"What...?!"

Fixit put the telescope against his eye, looking out to the distance. In the view of his eyepiece, he could see the redhead at the deck, letting go of Nami and Robin. He waved at them and took off while Sanji yelled at him, likely for his handling of the women.

"You're right..." He stated, "Henley is there. But why?"

"We may have to tell the Commander about this," Seventy said, moving to climb down the mast. "He's really not gonna like what he hears."

XXX

"Okay, cyborg!" Henley yelled, running to the big man with the forearms. "How much do you weigh?!"

"Somewhere past five hundred pounds," Franky replied, "Why do you-? HEY!"

In a flash, Henley lifted Franky by his back, and carried him to the ship, hopping like a jackrabbit in thin air. Making it to the ship, Henley gently let down the shipwright, falling on the grass in exhaustion.

"Five hundred?!" Henley cried out, sticking his tongue out. "I took down taller men that were lighter than you!"

"Well, sorry for being made of metal underneath!" Franky growled, taking offense to the remark. "Besides that, how about you warn me before you do something like that?!"

"There wasn't any time!" The half-breed argued, "Did you want to help your captain or not?!"

"Okay, knock it off!" Nami shouted, taking a swing at Henley, which missed. "We have to pursue that ship!"

"Sanji is at the helm," Robin mentioned, "And Brook and Usopp are currently watching the battleship."

"Right now," Zoro gripped hard on Shusui, "I'm waiting for these guys to shoot at us and give us more reason to give them what they deserve."

"Are you _really_ gonna defend us while making sure that the snail doesn't get blown up by any major cannonballs?" Usopp raised an eyebrow, uncomfortable at the prospect.

"Alright," Franky began to walk up to the helm, "I'll get our huge weapon ready."

"Weapon?" Chopper pondered aloud, confused.

"A big cannon that takes up a lot of cola when used," The cyborg explained as he and the group moved up to the helm deck, "But is destructive in sheer power. Once it's activated, it'll stop the battleship from leaving."

"And most likely kill Luffy in the process!" Nami marched past Franky and held him back, "How about we come up with a plan that doesn't end with Luffy plummeting to his death?!"

"As noisy and pathetic as that bitch is, she has a point," Zoro remarked with a hint of loathing, already making Robin glare at him. Sanji, on the other hand, was seething, and was close to doing something drastic. "We can't act against that ship unless we can get Luffy out of trouble. It's possible they might kill him if we try to get close."

"No, that won't happen," Henley denied. "That's not how Beau-Pére operates. He's not the kind of man who would kill anyone."

"It's really convenient, isn't it?" Sanji queried, still holding the wheel. "Our captain gets captured by a man that you seem to know well, and you're here, telling us about him."

Henley stared at the cook, crossing his arms. "I don't like what you're suggesting, chain-smoker."

"Wait," Chopper piped up, "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm saying we could be entering a trap," Sanji inferred, "One colluded by the marines and this shitty runt!"

"Allow me to prove your stupid face wrong," Henley began to defend himself, "First off, I originally planned to join the marines, but I never went through with it. I remembered why that was never going to happen, though. It's because of a bounty I have on my head."

"A bounty?" Usopp repeated, "You mean, you're a pirate too?"

"In a way, but I'm not exactly called that. I try not to get compared to pirates because I'm not, but my actions make the people call me as such."

"What kind of actions?" Robin asked, being curious.

"I won't say much about them," Henley sighed, "Because it's all personal to me, but my bounty is worth 83 million berries."

"83 million...?!" Chopper exclaimed, "That's... That's higher than most of our bounties!"

"Well, duh," Usopp muttered, "You're bounty's fifty berries."

As Chopper sulked to the ground, being reminded of his low value, Brook moved closer to the half-breed.

"If I may, young man," The musician proceeded to question, "When exactly did you receive your bounty?"

"Um..." Henley paused before answering, "When I... was fourteen."

"Fourteen?!"

While everyone was shocked, Robin was visibly stirred. She originally thought that she was the only one to have a high bounty at a young age.

'How... mistaken I was...' She thought, twitching her eye a little bit. 'If this person has a high bounty with circumstances he wishes to keep to himself, then is he... _similar to me_, in a way?'

***RING!*** The Baby Transponder Snail's sound broke her speculation, forcing her to save her theory for another moment.

"The snail!" Franky cried out, stating the obvious. The quick and the crew looked to the swordsman, who was holding it in his palm.

"Am I gonna have to be the one to answer it?" He questioned.

"You're the one holding it, Moss-head!" Sanji barked, "I would think so!"

"Answer it!" Nami urged, and Zoro did as he was told.

XXX

A few minutes before the placed call...

"So, Henley is there..."

"That's right, boss," Fixit attested to Beau-Père, standing still as possible. At this moment, the two were in the halls of the brig, with Seventy and Scorcher.

"No way!" Scorcher rejected Fixit's confirmation, "You can't be serious! Henley's a good guy! He would never get involved with pirates! Not after so many of them tried to kill him and half of Wonderland Island!"

"But he's there now," Seventy reaffirmed, "I saw him with my own eyes."

"He must have something to do with Straw Hat's change in character," Beau-Père debated, "But unless we get his input, we won't know for sure. But that's not important."

"It's been a while since we saw the rascal," Scorcher reflected, "Shouldn't we get him out of there?"

"From what we saw," Fixit stated, "Henley joined with them on his own whim. He most likely knows we're the ones who captured Straw Hat Luffy."

"That means he can lure the other pirates into a position where we can trap them!" Scorcher optimistically guessed with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Or he can use his knowledge on us against us in their favor," The heavy sniper pointed out, making his companion crumple to the floor.

"Why did you have to say that?"

"Enough!" Beau-Père's voice garnered his group's notice, "We're not going back to grab Henley."

"What?!" The group questioned, only to keep calm when the commander raised his hand.

"First off," He began, "I sympathize with your wishes, but we have a job to do, which came from the highest authority of the marines. If we turn around now, we risk allowing the pirates to get their captain back. Even if we're strong enough to stand against them, it's not a priority. Even the captain doesn't want to return to his crew."

"Do we have a reason why?" Seventy pondered.

"That's not important," Fixit countered, "Not to us. Right, commander?"

"That's correct, Fix," Beau-Père concluded, despite feeling hurt when he said it. "While he has some issues to work out, that's what a psychiatrist is for. I'll give the lad a chance to contact his crew, and when he is finished talking to them, we'll lose them with a calculated maneuver and return to our base."

"Leave that to me and Scorcher, sir," Seventy asked, "I know what I can do."

"Alright, as long as it's just a distraction, nothing more."

"But what about Henley?" Scorcher impatiently queried.

"He must've joined the pirates to retrieve Straw Hat Luffy, meaning he caused what befell the lad. I don't know how, but, again, it shouldn't concern us."

"So, what?" Seventy questioned, "Are we supposed to leave him in danger?"

"He'll be fine," Beau-Père assured, "I trained him well. He can't take on a mighty crew like the Straw Hat Pirates, but he can put up a good enough fight to make a strategic retreat."

"Very true, sir," The mechanic agreed, though shot a dirty look to Scorcher when he muttered a word similar to 'suck-up.'

"If that's all, gentlemen," Beau-Père pulled out a Baby Transponder in his jacket as he walked to Luffy's cell. "I have a call to make, at the request of one."

With a final salute, the slightly lower ranking marines left the brig to pursue their own devices.

The Commander took only a few feet to reach the cell doors, and pulled out a key to open the one Luffy was in.

"Alright, young man. As you wanted. The chance to have a final conversation with the crew."

"Good," Luffy mumbled, with his hair covering his eyes.

"You know, you can quit while you're ahead, Straw Hat," Beau-Père said, holding the snail in his hand as he stood in front of his captive.

"I've told you for the zillionth time, Mustache Guy," The former captain responded, looking bored at the third degree. "I want nothing, _NOTHING_, to do with them. So get on with it, already."

Beau-Père could only sigh as he dialed a number on the small snail's shell. He lifted the receiver, waiting for the other line to reply. Only a few beats later did the other line pick up.

"Hello?" A sternly flat voice was heard at the other end. From that alone, Luffy could tell it was Zoro.

"I am Commander Beau-Père of the marines," The marine answered, "I am the one who has apprehended your captain-"

***CLICK!* **The sound of a disconnected line was all he heard. This greatly confused Beau-Père, and made him a little red at the face.

"The nerve of that person, hanging up on me...!" He seethed, dialing the number again.

XXX

At the Sunny...

"ARE YOU FRICKING INSANE IN THE HEAD?!" Henley screeched in Zoro's face, grabbing his shirt.

"Goddamn it, get off of me!" The swordsman pushed Henley away from him by the face, and yet the half-breed refused to let go, just like a hawk clutching a snake in its talons.

Henley went another step further, growing out his spider legs and lifting Zoro up for a bit, until he slammed him on the floor.

"You don't hang up on a man like Beau-Père!" He explained, "Even if you have some kind of urge to do so!"

"Okay, okay!" Franky raised his hands up, "Take it easy! Let him go!"

Henley got off of Zoro and moved to the side, breathing a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," He apologized, returning to normal. "I got carried away, again."

"Seems like a habitual problem to you," Usopp remarked, grabbing the baby snail and helping Zoro up.

"He is really creepy when he grows out those hairy legs..." Nami shuddered, feeling goosebumps just seeing Henley move with his extra legs.

"Great going, Moss-ass!" Sanji yelled, "You hung up on the marine! Now we'll never know what he wants!"

"It's not my fault, Retard Cook!" Zoro fired back, "There was something about the guy that was uninteresting!"

"Note to all," Henley announced, "Don't ever hang up on Beau-Père, whatever you do."

"Why?" Usopp questioned, "What's so bad about that?"

***RING!*** The snail called out a second time, silencing Henley and the crew. Usopp lifted the receiver to answer.

"Hello?"

3, 2, 1.

"DON'T EVER HANG UP ON ME LIKE THAT AGAIN, YOU IMPOLITE RAPSCALLION!"

Beau-Père's roar echoed into the liar's ear, giving him a painful listening experience. A shout like that could be heard by the other crew members, which made them reflexively cover their ears.

"And that, rouges and mischief-makers," Henley declared, "Is why you _don't_ want to hang up on Commander Beau-Père."

"You could've just warned us in advance, you know!" Chopper exclaimed, jumping up and down in a huff.

"Indeed, sir!" Brook concurred with steam shooting from his nonexistent ears, "That would have saved us from scathing pains in our eardrums, despite me not possessing any ears anymore!"

"Excuse me, Commander Beau-Père?" Robin asked, taking the snail from Usopp, who is busy writhing on the floor. "I apologize on behalf of my crewmember. He doesn't possess a sense of politeness as most of us do."

"Hey!" Zoro shouted, offended.

"Well, don't attempt to do that again," Beau-Père requested, "I might just consider revoking your captain's request to speak with you."

"Wait, Luffy wants to talk to us?!" Sanji exclaimed in surprise.

"That's correct," The Commander replied, "But first, there's someone I must speak to."

"He means me," Henley spoke up, walking up to Robin. He grabbed the receiver from her hand to speak into it. "It's been a long time, Beau-Pére."

"Henley," The Commander couldn't help but smile, "It's good to hear from you again after so long."

"Same with you, Commander," Henley replied with a grin of his own, until he dropped it for a question. "But why is a marine like you going after Luffy? What did he do to you?"

"This isn't personal, I assure you. I'm only following orders, and fulfilling them accordingly."

"Whose, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku of the marines," Beau-Père answered, "And to a lesser extent, Vice Admiral Garp."

"W-What?" Henley sweated from hearing two big names in the marines. "You mean those two heavy hitters?! They put you up to this?!"

"They're the same ones who gave a marine base, despite me being a commander. I told you about that, didn't I?"

"O-Oh, yeah, I forgot about that..."

"Anyway, I need to know this. Did you join up with them of your own free will?"

"If it means to get back their captain, then I'll do what I can to help."

"Commander Beau-Pére," Nami interjected, taking the receiver from Henley.

"Hey!" He shouted, being ignored by the navigator.

"Let me get to the point," She said, "What have you done to Luffy?"

"Well," The Commander began, looking straight at the rubber boy. He wasn't exactly feeling good about talking to who is essentially his adopted niece. "Aside from arresting him, nothing. Right now, he's sitting in front of me, waiting for his turn to speak to you."

"Does that mean he wants us to save him?" Brook pondered aloud.

"You'll want to listen for yourself," Beau-Père told them from the other line, sitting next to Luffy. He held the receiver up to Luffy's mouth so he could speak.

"So, you guys are trying to follow me," The former captain perceived from hearing them.

"Luffy!" The crew exclaimed, hearing their captain's voice.

"Are you alright, bro?" Franky asked.

"That's a stupid question to ask, Franky!" Zoro yelled, "Of course he isn't alright! Not after what we did!"

"Mr. Luffy!" Brook began to declare, "We will rescue you! You just need to hang in there for a little-"

"After I said I don't want you guys to follow me," Luffy mumbled, "You guys are still trying to..."

"Well, yeah!" Usopp asserted, "We care about you, dude!"

"Did you care about how I would feel when you lied to me back there?!" Luffy suddenly shouted, hushing Usopp in an instant. In fact, everyone shut up from hearing their former captain's voice.

"I thought you guys would be sailing away the minute I left the Sunny. But for some reason, you aren't even doing that."

"That's because we want you to come back, Luffy!" Chopper insisted.

"Chopper... I'm sorry. I was the one they wanted to lie to, not you."

"Luffy..." The doctor could only say, until Brook stepped in.

"Luffy, I know that being lied to this severely must be hard on you," The musician said, "But you shouldn't be hard on yourself. You are a valuable part of this crew as the captain."

"More like a convenient tool to use," The former captain remarked, "Just ask Nami."

Nami felt an even more uncomfortable wave of contempt weigh on her soul, with every terrible thing she did to Luffy finally catch up to her. She inhaled before making her attempt to talk to him.

"Luffy..." She meekly whispered, "If I could change what I've done, I would do it."

Hearing Nami on the other line, Luffy replayed a memory of her before these hard days. He wanted to return to those moments badly, relive the way he saw her and his friends before this happened. He wished he could, but wishing doesn't get one anywhere. Not to him. Not anymore.

"I hurt you badly, and I've done wrong things. I-"

"Let me stop you right there," Luffy interrupted, "I have something to say, and it can't wait."

(BGM: Despair ~For the Sake of Her Homeland~ , One Piece Movie 10: Strong World, by Kouhei Tanaka and Shirou Hamaguchi)

Nami was forced to comply after that, and kept quiet as Luffy spoke with to the crew.

"When I set out from my home, I had dreams of freedom. I wanted to be a pirate because people like them are the freest people out there. They wouldn't have to worry about what others think of them, about what they had to do before the next day ends, and about being pushed around or told what to do. That's the kind of pirate I wanted to be, because of Shanks."

Beau-Pére blinked, hearing the name of one of the Four Emperors.

'So he became a pirate,' He thought to himself, 'Because of him...'

"I wanted to be the king of the pirates, because that meant being the freest person alive. But trying to get to where Gold Roger was would be tough, and I couldn't get that far by myself. Besides, I wanted friends. I thought if I could get a crew and be friends with them, then I could go far."

Luffy looked to the side after saying that, his expression showing up on the snail Nami was holding.

"I... wanted happiness, the kind you wouldn't get just by staying where you are. It's all I ever wanted. But here we are."

He looked into the receiver, glaring at it.

"You guys lied to me, and I found out you were hiding more things from me."

Zoro sweated, remembering his fateful duel with Kuma back on Thriller Bark.

"It doesn't matter the reason why you did it. Nothing does anymore. Not even my dreams."

"Luffy, about that serum, I-" Henley attempted to speak up, but Luffy continued to speak.

"If you guys could hide things from me, lie to me, then maybe our friendship was nothing more than that."

"No, Luffy..." Nami was close to tears, hearing her captain sound so... resigned.

"Nami, I wouldn't blame you if you hate me for hitting you back there. I'm sorry I did that to you."

"Luffy, I don't think you meant to-"

"But, again," He muttered, "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm a troublemaker to the end, no matter what I do. And now, I'm going away."

"Please... stop..."

"I don't want you guys to follow me anymore."

"Stop saying that..."

"I don't want to see you guys ever again."

"Stop it...!"

"It doesn't matter what you do now."

"Luffy, please!" Nami shouted, ending Luffy's monologue. "None of this was your fault! It's mine!"

"It's my fault too, Luffy," Zoro admitted, "All the things that happened with the flag, with Shiki, they were on us."

"I'm just as guilty as they are, captain," Henley chimed in, "And I'm sorry for what I put you through."

"You think that changes things?" Luffy scoffed, "It doesn't excuse what you did to me."

"I know, but-" Henley was interrupted by Luffy's following statement.

"**I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS.**"

Henley felt a chill course through his entire body. He expected it to turn out this way, but that didn't change how much it hurt.

"I-I..." He stammered, unable to say anything more. He could only hug himself and look to the ground.

"Luffy, you don't actually mean to say those things," Robin said, "You're angry, hurt, but that's because of what Henley did to you. He never wanted to hurt your feelings with his scientific work."

"It doesn't change what I did..." The half-breed murmured, making Robin look to him. "Whatever I do from here on out... It will never excuse this heinous crime of mine."

"Henley, why?" Beau-Père questioned silently, too silently to get an answer.

"Luffy," Brook begged, "Please reconsider. We're the Straw Hat-!"

"THERE IS NO STRAW HAT PIRATES ANYMORE," Luffy declared in a deep voice, "**LET ALONE FORGIVENESS. I REFUSE TO FORGIVE YOU ALL FOR THIS.**"

"Luffy, I'm so sorry...!" Nami couldn't hold it in anymore. She began to cry, making Chopper tear up as well. Zoro closed his eyes, feeling helpless to do anything for the captain that left them. Sanji's expression was hardly discernible, as his hair covered his eyes, but it's clear he feels miserable too.

Franky raised his sunglasses up and looked to the floor in shame, upset over his role in the lie that made Luffy lose it. Usopp, Brook, and even Robin wore shocked faces, the former afraid of what his actions have brought, and the latter two unable to believe what is happening.

In the holding cell, Luffy's darkened expression turned into a somber one. He heard Nami and Chopper's cries, and it wasn't long until he teared up as well.

"I..." He sniffled, "I'm sorry, too. I made you cry. I made you do all this because I existed. But at least you won't have to deal with this foolish bastard child again...!"

Luffy turned away from the snail, but he still said one final thing.

"I couldn't help make your dreams come true. I guess I should've known it would end like this... **Goodbye.**"

"Henley," Beau-Père called out, "I think it would be for the best if you left them now."

The half-breed took the snail from a weeping Nami's hands, and replied back.

"I can't abandon people that need help," He said, "You better go."

"Goodbye, then," Beau-Père sighed as he hung up on the group.

"That was cold, young man," He stated, standing up. "They cared about you, but you stomped on their hearts and left them to bleed out."

"I know what I did, Mustache Guy," Luffy continued to cry, "It doesn't matter anymore. Just keep on sailing to God knows where."

Beau-Père walked out of the cell and locked it as he went out, lamenting the state his prisoner was in. He left the brig, traveling up the stairs as he dialed a different combination of numbers into the snail. With it done, he made his announcement.

"This is Commander Beau-Père," He announced on the battleship speakers, "Seventy, Scorcher, you know what to do."

The two tall marines stood at the stern of the ship, nodding to each other. Scorcher lifted a barrel and threw it into the air as Seventy shot it with his rifle. The barrel exploded, releasing thick, dark grey smoke, covering the radius Scorcher threw the barrel.

"A few more of these and the smokescreen is done," Scorcher mumbled, lifting another barrel to chuck it upward.

XXX

"What's that noise?" Brook noticed, taking his eyes of the crew. He looked to the front of the ship, and saw what was transpiring. Black patches of smoke were covering the marine battleship.

"No..." Zoro whispered, removing his bandanna from his head. "We failed..."

"FUCK!" Usopp shouted, falling on his knees and slamming his fist to the floor.

"Damn it...!" Franky cursed, holding Chopper in his arms, comforting him. "I didn't fill up our engine with Cola, so we can't even go after them!"

"It's my fault..." Nami muttered, retreating to the women's dorms. "All of it."

"Nami..." Sanji tried to go to her and comfort her, but she closed the door behind him. He was going to knock on the door, but Robin stopped him from doing that.

"Not now, Sanji," The archaeologist said, "She needs someone else. Something else."

"Luffy's hat, maybe?" The cook guessed, then decided to check the men's dorms for the straw hat.

"Robin," Henley asked, walking down the stairs to her. "What are we going to do?"

Robin could only look at the grey skies above them. This day has begun with Luffy's torment, and doesn't look like it will let up just yet...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	15. Ch 14- The Kind

**Chapter 14- The Kind**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

G-13 Base, Beau-Père, Fixit, Scorcher, Seventy, and Mars © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Already the world has slowly begun turning to night, as the tension from a few hours prior has reached a cold turn of events. The clouds grew darker, changing all around the sea to fit the coming dark hour.

Searchlights on the outer walls of the marine base homed in on the battleship that had recently come up to the port, located just outside the walls.

A large group of marines marched along the simple trail up to the drawbridge of the walls. In front of them was Commander Beau-Père leading his squad and Luffy up to it.

Inside the walls, several soldiers were turning a collection of rotary cranks at a moderate pace. This caused the drawbridge to lower itself to the ground level, allowing those outside to cross and enter the base.

As the bridge closed up once everyone was accounted for, Beau-Père gestured to Fixit to walk next to him.

"Fix," He began whilst holding Luffy by the shoulder, "Send a message to our superiors that we've done what they asked, and double the patrols tonight, outside the walls, inside the walls, out here, and in the detention center."

"Yes, sir," Fixit responded, but before he could leave...

"Oh, one more thing," The Commander then stated, "Make sure that guy in the Box doesn't escape. I've decided to leave him down there for the rest of his four life sentences."

"Really, sir?" Fixit questioned, raising his unibrow inquisitively.

"He's always trying to break out. And I'm not sure how much more of him I can take. It's clear to me he deserves one thing: isolation."

"And where are you going to place Straw Hat Luffy?"

"The top floor is completely separate from the other floors due to how closed off the section is. We don't even use it, but that makes it perfect, I suppose."

"Very well, sir," The mechanic said, "I'll send some additional guards to the Box. He won't leave anytime soon." With a salute, he moved on to fulfill his orders.

Beau-Père then stopped and turned around to face his troops. "Get some rest, boys," He ordered, "You deserve it."

"Sir," A marine proceeded to ask, "What about Straw Hat Luffy? Don't you want backup to make sure-"

"Thank you for the offer, lad," Beau-Père spared the marine from continuing, "But he can't do anything now. Remember the material these restraints are made of? Remember the impeccable record of tight security we have?"

The soldier nodded, comprehending what his commander is getting at.

"Then you have nothing to worry about. Go, now."

Beau-Père walked on with Luffy, who wasn't even bothering to look at his surroundings. It's clear, at least in his mind, that he isn't going to be leaving. The former captain was guided to the detention center, and noticed that he was in the building, as indicated by the tile floors.

They walked through the cafeteria, which made up a good part of the first, second, and third floors. There were tables and some prisoners eating and guards holding their rifles and glaives, looking to see if there was any trouble.

Moving along to some doors, they entered a hallway with a series of cell doors and stone walls, with the only light source on the ceiling. It definitely showcased the fact this was a prison.

Not long after a minute or so of walking through the hall, Beau-Père led Luffy into the elevator, pressing a button labeled number 9. The doors closed, and they went up.

A small ring indicated they have arrived, and exited as soon as the doors opened for them. The top floor had nothing but open bars for cells. There were no walls separating the cells, just the ones that made up the floor.

"Well," Beau-Père muttered, "Here we are. You won't feel private, per se, but I can see to it you're alone. At least you'll have a view of the place."

Luffy huffed, not caring for the things he's saying.

Beau-Père frowned, opening one of the cell doors. Luffy walked in without any form of hesitation. It disturbed the commander as he closed the door, locking it. He wondered what to do now, since there seemed to be nothing left to attempt.

"Are you hungry?" He questioned, "I mean, I know you ate on the way here, but..."

"I'm fine," The former captain answered with his back turned to him. "Just leave me alone."

"Alright," Beau-Père nodded. "I'll check up on you and see how you're doing, keeping my distance all the while."

Before he left, he halted, looked at the boy in the cell, and said...

"I really am sorry for what happened, you know. But I want to thank you."

"For what?" Luffy wondered aloud, forgetting what he's done for him.

"For stopping Arlong and saving my people," The Commander smiled, and went to the elevator.

Luffy looked up, remembering that good deed he's done. But he sulked back down, sitting on the bench.

"I wasn't interested in saving those people," He sadly admitted to himself, "I only did it because that asshole made Nami cry."

He sighed, choking up in the process.

"Now here I am, stuck and alone. It's what I deserve, since I made Nami cry..."

XXX

Meanwhile, outside...

"And the Eternal Pose for this base is missing?" Fixit questioned, holding a clipboard and flipping a page over.

"That's right, sir!" A big-nosed marine replied, standing on a bench to compensate for his very short height. "One of them, at least. I always check the compartment for the spare poses for this base, and one of them is missing."

"Perhaps you misplaced one of them somewhere," The mechanic suggested, maybe it's still on board the helm deck and you can't find it."

"No sir," He disagreed, "I don't think that's the case. As the helmsman, I make it a priority to keep the Eternal Pose I use on my person at all times! When we don't need it, I lock it up with the others!"

"Alright, take it up with the chief petty officer assigned to monitor you and we'll see if we can find the pose. It's probably destroyed by now, but this is why the people's tax money goes into these spare Eternal Poses."

"But sir, the key I use to lock up the compartment for the poses, it's gone!"

"Gone?" Fixit repeated, his eyes beginning to light up.

"Yes, sir! It was in my pocket when I was steering the ship, but now it's missing! I needed a spare key from one of the other guys to open my compartment since it was gone!"

"That's... troubling..."

"I hope this doesn't mean anything bad..." The mini marine mumbled, "I don't want to get demoted over a mishap like this."

"Don't worry, you won't," Fixit assured, "I'm sure this won't be anything serious. I'll sort it out with the commander and we'll find your key."

"Thank you, sir," He saluted, hopping off his stool and attaching the cord on his body to it. He walked off with it in tow.

'Still,' Fixit thought, 'A missing key to a shelf of Eternal Poses? Something feels off.'

"Ah, well," He mumbled aloud, "Can't worry about that now. I have to get on with my tasks."

He entered the building to _really _fulfill his orders. The last thing he needed was Beau-Père to get onto him for being less than diligent.

XXX

Meanwhile, downstairs...

"I'm going to pretend that you never asked me that," Seventy stated, holding a mug of coffee in his hand. "That's a dumb question, which is saying a lot, coming from you."

"I'm only tryin' to settle a bet here!" Scorcher insisted, running after him in the halls. "Is it possible for a person's skin color to change to purple from eating too many plums? And it's not dumb, it's thought-provoking!"

"I've heard a person's skin could turn to orange from eating carrots too much, but that's about it," The sniper responded, "This is about a bet, right?"

"Yep! I'm betting fifty thousand on the fact that a person's skin _can_ turn purple from eating too many plums!"

"Well, then get out your money and start paying that guy."

"What?!" The hothead exclaimed, "No way! I'm not paying that choreboy!"

"A choreboy?" Seventy snorted, "You got into a bet with some new recruit?"

"Yeah! What about it, huh?!"

"Oh my god, wiseguy...! Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha! Oh, that's a new one!"

"Quit laughing, dammit!" The less than competent marine looked about ready to blow a fuse, so to speak. "This is serious!"

"It's so sad, nowadays! The new guys and the soldiers are much brighter than you are!"

Over the boisterous laughter, he got inside an elevator with his ally, and pressed the button for ground floor. The doors closed, and they went down.

A little while later, the doors opened again, but not for them. Two marines and two guards attempted to get in the same lift with them. Somehow, they succeeded, and again the doors closed, taking them down.

"Hey, dudes," Scorcher chirped up, "Settle a bet?"

"'Fraid not," A guard with a rifle denied, his helmet concealing his eyes completely. "We're assigned to the top floor for guard duty and patrols."

"Look on the bright side," Seventy pointed out, "Peace and quiet sure beats heads getting knocked around here and there. Especially the sound of brain matter hitting the-"

"Okay, thanks for giving us the creeps, big guy!" Scorcher interrupted, and thankfully so.

"What? I was trying to go for a metaphorical description of what happened two days ago."

"A metaphorical description doesn't usually involve blood and human body parts flying! And you call me the dumb one?"

"Tch, whatever," Seventy muttered, "At least I don't look like some kind of a talentless circus performer with the dialect of a grade school boy."

"Whazzat chu say?!" Scorcher took offense to that, much to the humor of the lesser soldiers with them, quietly snickering.

"Ah, there it is! There's the yappy boy right there!"

"So what?! I'm still attractive beneath these coal marks on my face! This is the kind of face any woman would love!"

"Like your mother?" Seventy quipped, with perfect timing, as the elevator doors opened up as the soldiers howled with laughter.

Immediately after that, Scorcher grabbed the larger man and jumped out the lift, tackling him to the floor in rage.

"That was a good burn, Seventy!" One of them cheered while the doors closed, leaving the two alone in the halls. Giggity.

"Come on, man!" The fiery one complained, standing up with the big man in a huff. "Did you have to embarrass me again?!"

"Hey, the opportunity was there," Seventy shrugged, "And I can't resist making fun of you."

"I make all the jokes around here..." Scorcher frowned, puffing his lips.

"While I just make the jokes at your expense."

"Boys!" Beau-Père called out, making the two stand at attention. "Can't you go five minutes without ripping into each other?"

"He started it!" The taller men yelled in unison, pointing at each other. The Commander pinched his nose from sheer exasperation.

"Well, I suppose the timing's as good as any right now."

"What is it, Commander?" Seventy questioned.

"I need you guys to let everyone know of some orders," He responded, "Unless they're authorized by me, no one goes up to the ninth floor of the detention center. It's off-limits."

"What'cha say, boss?" Scorcher tilted his head in confusion, "No one goes up to the ninth floor?"

"Yes, why?"

"Um, sir?" Seventy began to tell, "I'm afraid a few of the boys aren't gonna get that memo until they come back down from the top floor."

"What?"

"Sir!" A guard came by from behind him, saluting him as stood in place. "One of the guards who usually patrols the cafeteria disappeared from his post!"

"What?" Beau-Père raised his eyebrow, "Who?"

"One of those guys that has been here as long as your predecessor, Commodore Mars."

"Wait, one of his loose cannons?! Where could..."

He paused, remembering the specific guard that causes about as much trouble as the prisoners. He, along with several other men, followed the code and rules of one Commodore Mars, known for following a brand of justice dubbed 'Immediate Justice.' This brand of justice is severely identical to Absolute Justice, but delivered at more of a reckless pace of speed and disregards the circumstances behind a crime, accepting the first thing it sees as the truth.

Beau-Père remembered when he was put in charge of the G-13 Base. Back then, it was known for being an unforgiving place, where many people convicted of being a pirate would be incarcerated without trial. Any faulty assumption made by Mars or a subordinate is labeled as truth, and it's a guarantee of either a life sentence of execution. When Beau-Père was placed in charge of the base, under Sengoku's orders, it's turned around into a model marine base.

Commodore Mars, however, saw this as a stain on his record, and swore to prove to him that Beau-Père is nothing more than a failure to the marines, and took some of his men out to sea, patrolling the Grand Line in hopes of regaining his honor and replacing the shame he felt when he got replaced. The men he didn't choose, however, still reside in the base, carrying out cruel attacks on the prisoners who can't or won't resist them, just as their first leader would've wanted.

It was then when the Commander realized where one of the men have gone, and what they plan to do...

"Shit," He cursed, looking at the floor indicator above the elevator doors. He saw the cursor had moved to the 9...

XXX

Upstairs...

The four who were in the elevator exited it and walked through the halls. A few yards was all they needed and they went up to Luffy's cell, standing there.

Uninterested with what he was seeing, the former captain looked to the side.

"Hey, you," A marine with a thin mustache called out, "You know a friend of mine? Maybe you met a couple of them?"

"I don't give a **shit** about your friends, asshat," Luffy replied, hearing the door open up. "I just want to be left alone."

"My friends were at Enies Lobby when you miserable pirates went and destroyed that place! I think you killed them!"

"I didn't blow the place up, if that's what you're thinking," Luffy stated the truth, but it fell on deaf ears.

"He's lying," A guard with a polearm said, "Scum like him always lie."

"The admirals ought to carve your heart out and stick it on a pike for the world to see," A beer-bellied marine remarked, spitting in Luffy's face.

"How about they burn him over a fire, eh?" The guard with a rifle questioned, "Make him suffer first."

"I heard from one of the guys sent to capture this bastard said that he don't wanna see his friends no more."

Luffy's blood boiled from their trash talk, but he let it continue. He was restrained, and very weak. Even if he weren't free, he wouldn't retaliate, simply because they're not worth his time.

"He should be punished, right boys?" The first marine asked, pulling out brass knuckles.

"YEAH!" They shouted as the fat one lifted Luffy by his neck.

"Come on, take a swing at him!" He nudged, choking the pirate. He dropped him to his feet, allowing the other marine to hit Luffy with a left hook using one of his knuckles.

"Ugh!" Luffy grunted, feeling the blow. It wouldn't have hurt so much if he was still a rubber boy, but with the Sea-Prism Stone cuffs, he was about as normal as everyone else.

The guard with the rifle slammed the butt of his weapon into Luffy's stomach, and hit him over the head with it.

"Not so tough without your crew, are you?!" The other guard mocked, stomping on Luffy's head with his boot.

The group proceeded to kick him while he was down, with Luffy unable to fight back.

"Enough!" A shout came from outside the cell, forcing them to end their assault on the pirate. Naturally, it was the Commander, glaring hard at them. "You wrongly attacked a prisoner that can't fight back. You have crossed a line, all of you."

"But, sir, he's a notorious pirate," The rifle guard unwisely back-talked, "He deserves to have his face scrapped across the concrete and-"

"He is a living being," Beau-Père growled, his eyes darkening. "And as long as he is in my base, he will be treated with care. Do you wish to object further?"

"Sir, you don't get it!" The sole marine with the thin facial hair retorted, "These pirates deserve to die! No one gives a crap about the wicked-hearted!"

"If you solely believe the boy caused the deaths of many men from Enies Lobby, then you should learn to read between the lines of what you perceive as 'truth.' Now, leave him alone."

"But sir, he deserves to suffer for-"

"DID I STUTTER, YOU PETTY EXCUSE FOR AN OFFICER?!" The Commander roared, shutting him up and forcing him at attention.

"SIR, NO SIR!" The marine yelled, loud and clear, making the others stand in formation as well.

Beau-Pére looked around him, seeing the men that engaged in a remorseless act of brutality. He huffed, taking a long time to speak again.

"You men will report to my office, where I will decide your punishment," He ordered, "Your predecessor may not let me dishonorably discharge you, but I will not stand for your treatment of the prisoners. He gave you a free pass to be cruel, but I will not be so lenient. I will make your life hell, if it means you seeing the error of your ways. Now, march!"

The two marines and two guards did as they were told, and walked out of the cell. They all marched to the elevator, entering in single-file. When they went down, no longer seen, Beau-Pére breathed a sigh of relief and exasperation.

"Sengoku couldn't give me a spot at Issho's marine base," He grumbled, "He had to put me in charge of the base of a jackass of a marine, Mars, and his rotten unit. A commander isn't even supposed to be given command of a marine base. I mean sure, there are '_exceptions_,' but my god, why in the Grand Line, why his base, and why hasn't he dishonorably discharged me at the lowest point in my life already?!"

Gasping for air and ending his rant, he noticed Luffy was still on the ground. The Commander bent down, attempting to help him up.

"Are you alright?" Beau-Père asked, despite it being a stupid question to ask.

"I'm fine..." Luffy softly answered, getting up slowly. "Thanks."

"You may be my prisoner, but a person with a good heart doesn't deserve this kind of treatment."

"A good heart, huh?" Luffy muttered aside, limping to his bench.

"You're hurt," Beau-Père noticed a harsh bruise on Luffy right cheek, "Let me get a bandage for you."

"It doesn't matter, really."

"No, I insist," Beau-Père refuted, putting him on the bench, and leaving to retrieve a first-aid kit. "Stay put!"

"Where can I even go?" Luffy questioned, sweat-dropping at the fact that his cell door is open. "Besides that, you couldn't be bothered to close the door?"

XXX

A few minutes later...

Beau-Père applied the white bandage onto Luffy's cheek, which slightly stung him.

"It doesn't hurt," Luffy continued to claim, closing his eyes.

"Don't lie to me, now," Beau-Père commanded, making sure that the bandage stays there. "You were getting beaten while in a vulnerable position. It's a disgusting act if I ever saw one."

"Well, why'd you stick up for me back there?" The pirate inquired, leading Beau-Pére to look at him, puzzled.

"What? Didn't I say why a couple minutes ago? It's because you didn't deserve this."

"You really think that? After what I've done?"

"I'll admit, you were harsh to your former crew when we left them behind, but it wasn't my place to judge you for your actions. Mainly because I don't know what unfolded between your crew."

Luffy's gaze dropped to the floor and parted to the side. "If you want to know-"

"No, don't tell me," Beau-Père interjected, raising his hand in a 'stop' gesture. "It wasn't my place to judge you then, it's not my place to judge you now."

"...Alright."

"We also have food here. I tasted the food served in this place. It wasn't good, and I can't request anything fresh for the prisoners here."

"It's alright, Mustache Guy. Food's food, right?"

"I suppose so," The Commander scratched the back of his head.

The mood was calm, or at least calmer than it was hours ago. Despite that, there was a feeling of awkwardness which lingered since Luffy first entered the base.

"Well, I should leave you alone," Beau-Père uttered, "You obviously want to be left that way."

"Wait a sec..." Luffy rose his head up and spoke up, prompting the commander to freeze in place. "I, um... I lost my temper back there, and I actually wanted to take it out on you. You had nothing to do with what I'm feeling now. I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's alright," Beau-Père replied, "I understand that some people don't like the marines. It hurts, but I get the hate."

"I said a lot about my frie-" The pirate cleared his throat, and corrected himself. "My former crew, and I'm not proud of them. I also said some bad things about that guy you know."

"I don't know what Henley did to hurt you badly, but I taught him to be better than that."

"He said that he wasn't in his right mind, that he forgot about a lot of things."

"Really?" Beau-Père reflected, putting a hand up to his chin. "As far as I know, Henley is very intelligent. He doesn't forget things easily. He must've experienced a form of memory loss."

"It doesn't matter now, though. I didn't mean to trouble you."

"Don't worry about it, young man."

Luffy nodded and looked down. "I'm just so tired..." He whispered, "I've been beaten, stressed, lied to on top of feeling like shit, and I don't want to do anything anymore. I'm not sure if I want to be a pirate after all that's happened."

"Well, don't focus on that, now." The Commander placed a hand on Luffy's shoulder, "You're in my care now. I'll look after you as long as I can."

"Um... Thank you."

Beau-Père smiled warmly. "I'm here for you, young man," He affirmed, "Tell me anything that troubles you, and I'll come by."

"I'll try," Luffy made a sad smile. He couldn't make one any better than that, not with all that's happened to him in a manner of a few days.

Beau-Père turned to exit, locking the cell door behind him with a key.

"I never got to visit Nami at all," He said, taking Luffy off guard. "I was fed some false information, so I can't say that I know much about her."

He looked at Luffy, almost with pleading eyes. There were so many things he wanted to ask, questions he wanted answered.

"If possible, could you tell me all about Nami? At least, the young girl you knew before all this happened?"

Luffy only stared, unable to talk. He shouldn't be surprised, since this guy said that his sister was Nami's adopted mother.

"I guess I could," He replied, regaining his bearings. "But remember, that name doesn't mean a _thing_ to me anymore."

"If you say so," Beau-Père whispered, forlornly turning away for the elevator.

When Luffy was sure he was truly alone, he sighed.

"I'm so sorry, everyone," He mumbled, closing his eyes. His mind played back images, memories of the crew he spent a small part of his life with.

It appeared to have been a few minutes of reminiscing, up until Luffy opened his eyes, shaking the images out of his head.

"No, it doesn't matter anymore. It _shouldn't_ matter. I chose the wrong people, anyway."

"So, that means I don't matter anymore, Luffy?"

Luffy gasped, hearing a very familiar voice. He saw that person in front of his cell, and genuinely smiled.

"ACE!"

"No, Luffy," _Ace_ corrected, "Not the _real_ Ace. Just another hallucination."

Luffy dropped his smile, confused.

"What do you mean?" He questioned, "You're here in front of me, right? You're real, right?"

"These bars must be made of Sea-Prism Stone," _Ace_ mused, walking straight through the bars. "'Cause I couldn't do that if I were real."

"Oh no," Luffy muttered, "Not this shit again. Haven't I suffered enough?!"

"You said you wanted to be alone, little brother," _Ace_ pointed out, "And you are. All it cost was your so-called friendship."

"Can't you leave me alone?! I don't want to hear it from who isn't even my brother!"

"Too bad. You wanted this. And now, you're stuck with what brought you here to this point."

"And what, exactly, is _that_?"

"You're going to be here for a while, so why not get comfortable?"

Saying that, Ace sinisterly grinned like a Cheshire cat.

The former captain felt that this night would be worse, much worse than the other nights. It's almost as if he were right...

XXX

Later, at the bottom of the detention center, the Box...

For a detention center with nine floors, it's not enough that it's able to contain some petty thieves and murderers. No, not as long as some of those types are persistent, they will continue to inspire further uprisings to cause trouble to the base. Thus, a solitary confinement cell is created for the criminals that cause no end of trouble.

For one notable madman, it sounds to be a real challenge for him. He resides in the metal container placed directly in the center of the enormous room below ground.

The container is surrounded by cold bars, surely boxing it in. This process has been repeated with the other cell doors from the hallway that leads up to this _special_ room. Guards would be patrolling the entire room, assuming they weren't taking the task for granted. All they do is stand around or abandon their posts to play cards. To top it off, the guards don't stop any marine from walking in and doing business with the prisoners.

The porky marine that choked Luffy from a while ago was unlocking the cell door of the cage in the center of the room. He then strolled up to the box and opened up the lid for the eyeholes.

"Arlong, are you awake?" He questioned, seeing Arlong rise from the inside of his confines.

The sawshark fish-man's arms and legs were bound by chains, combined with a muzzle blocking his mouth from view.

"Ah, it's you again," His voice echoed in the chamber, "Let me guess, the guards let you pass here, as always?"

"Naturally," The marine responded, "Word from the right paid-off guys is you want to talk to me?"

"Of course," Arlong nodded, "A simple favor, with a benefit of five million berries."

The marine's eyes instantly lit as bright as a light bulb. "Five... Five million...?!"

"Then again, I heard that you got in trouble with your boss. Should I be concerned?"

"No, it's nothing. He just chewed me out and put me on chore duty. Taking garbage out, cleaning the barracks, also keeping me from eating anything for a week. Damn his soul."

"Sounds _so_ hard," Arlong sarcastically quipped, "Must be what you deserve for beating on your own prisoners. Typical humans like you think you're tough for having all the power."

"Watch your tongue, shark!" The marine slammed his fist on the metal box, causing a sound that could be heard throughout the room.

The men around the place looked concerned, but the fat man reassured them though a hand gesture.

"If I didn't need your money," He whispered, "I wouldn't be coming back to you. I'm risking my standing here because of that. Thanks to scum like you, it'll be a long while before I enjoy your money."

"But you need it, don't you? The luxuries of life are just too tempting to ignore, after all."

"I admit," The marine acknowledged, "The berries you smuggled in were valuable. I got the best shit money can buy."

"Sha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!" Arlong laughed through his muzzle, "Well, money does make the world spin for you! And there'll be some more of it, if you still feel like doing something for me."

"I'm all ears, as always."

"I want you to put a few keys together. One for the entrance of the detention center, one for this cell, and one for the armory around here. Hang on to the one for my cell and slip it in here. Then, conveniently drop the others at the east of the detention center. Another marine I paid for my release two days ago told me that a fellow fish-man of mine will stop by to help me escape in two days' time. Meaning today."

"And you believe this friend of yours will assist you in your escape?" The marine questioned, "No one's gotten out of the Box before, except for when they're sent to be executed, which isn't happening for you. Besides that, your track record of escapes wasn't very good."

"You think I was trying to escape back then?" Arlong questioned, feeling insulted.

"What?"

"I wanted to be put in here, close-minded human. Just so I can be in the perfect spot when I escape. Think about it. No prisoners to hound me. None to bribe to keep them quiet. Making Beau-Père so fed up with me he'll have to put me in here. It's worked out perfectly so far."

"A-Apparently, it has..." The big-bellied marine mumbled, sweating from how he planned it. "But if anyone finds out, it's over for you. And worse, it'll be my neck."

"That's why there's five million berries in it for you to keep your mouth shut," Arlong pointed at the marine, despite being handcuffed. "I've come too far to be stopped now."

"Don't worry, no one will know. But how will you cope with the guards here in the basement? You're practically trapped down here with them."

"_These humans are trapped down here with me_," Arlong corrected, his ice-cold eyes piercing through the marine's soul. "And I'll be free when I get that key. Give it to me in the next two hours. When I hear the signal, I'm out."

"Alright. Just have my reward money ready." He proceeded to exit, but stopped to add another thing. "One more thing, I think you'll be interested in something."

"What?"

"Do you remember 'Straw Hat' Luffy?"

Arlong raised an eyebrow, not knowing who he meant. The name did sound familiar to him, though. "Be more specific, human," He commanded, "Appearances matter to me more than the names of inferior species."

"He's the young boy who beat you back at the East Blue, remember?"

(BGM: Gasparde's Power, One Piece Movie 4, Dead End Adventure, By Kouhei Tanaka)

Suddenly, The sawshark fish-man's eyes dilated, hearing the name of the sea he used to have his operations. His mind flashed back to the boy who ruined his plans. His determined face with a scar underneath his left eye, his fist sending him into a wall, and his voice proclaiming the destruction of what he worked hard to build.

The last thing he remembered from his fight with Luffy was his attack, which not only destroyed the room he forced Nami to work in for eight years, but destroyed his entire building. Arlong Park, his small empire which he maintained, crippled in one day, when he set foot on the island.

_"GUM-GUM BATTLE AXE!"_

"**The damn rubber brat**...!" He growled softly, twitching at every part of his body.

"He's here, in this very building, on the top floor," The stout marine smirked, "Void of hope, practically begging for someone to end his meaningless life."

"He's here...?! He robbed me of my pride! He stole my mapmaker from me!"

"And what you will do with that information, I'll let you decide," The marine left the room, closing it behind him.

"**I'll kill him**...!" Arlong declared, "**I'll kill him and reclaim Nami, my property! SHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!**"

His monstrous laugh filled the entire basement, sending a harsh chill down the spines of the guards. They had an uncomfortable feeling that this night would be their last...

"**SHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA~!**"

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	16. Ch 15- All At Fault

**Chapter 15- All At Fault**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Beau-Père and the G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Where the Thousand Sunny was traveling to, no one could say. None can tell how long they've been out moving along the current, or care, for that matter.

Henley was leaning on the railing, searching for a sign, a clue, anything that could help him and these pirates get closer to finding who they seek. He ran over to the other side of the ship, believing that something could be found over there.

"Nothing," He sighed, almost contemplating giving up on a fruitless endeavor. His expression reverted to match his sense of diligence, and decided to head to the front of the ship.

The redhead dashed and hopped on top of the figurehead, bringing his hand up to his eyebrows and squinting, searching in the dark.

"If only you could speak," He murmured to the sunny lion, which looked worried, if one could assume the ship has life to it. "Maybe you could tell me what I'm missing. Aside from a captain, which you and this crew desperately need."

He let out a light chuckle, falsely hoping it would ease the pressure weighing on them all. Feeling no different, he yelled in frustration, almost breaking Franky's concentration.

"I guess it's no good, huh?" Franky surmised, steering at the helm.

"I have _tried_ to look at every place out in the ocean, but there is nothing that we can use!"

"Don't give up yet," The cyborg replied, "We just haven't found their base yet. You said it's around here, right?"

"That's only because it's a week of travel away from Wonderland Island!" Henley argued, "Beau-Père said as much, but I'm not sure exactly where that can be! For all we know, it could be further away from the island we were at, and trying to find the G-13 base could take a long time, and I don't think Luffy could last a second longer on in this world!"

Henley slammed his hands into his face, walking to the right of the helm deck.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!" He chanted, belittling himself. "If you weren't so careless around others, maybe none of this would've happened!"

By the time he calmed down, Usopp made an announcement through the speaker from the Crow's Nest.

"Franky, Henley," He called out, "I saw a barrel that's coming in front of us. I don't know if it's important, but I thought I'd let you know."

"A barrel?" The two questioned simultaneously, with Henley jumping to the figurehead once more.

"I don't see it," The half-breed said, "Maybe his vision is messed up out here?"

"Usopp may be a liar," Franky pointed out, "But his eyes are better than mine. It's out there."

The ship continued to move for another minute, and as Henley went into his spider hybrid form, he could see more clearly. There was a barrel floating at them, just like Usopp said there was.

Henley shot a line of web at the barrel, and tried to pull it up. It would've worked, had the seawater not get in the way.

"No good," He mumbled aloud, "I can't hoist it up with the sea interfering."

"Let me try!" Franky ran down to grab the barrel, shooting his right arm at it. His grip was hard enough to break a small part of the lid. "Got it!"

"Great!" Henley exclaimed, suddenly at the wheel. He began to joke, "Forget about the fact you just left the ship to fend for itself for a few seconds!"

"Whatever!" Franky lifted the barrel up and set it down on the floor. "Okay, now what?"

"Open it, duh!"

"I'm not so sure I should. The last time we opened a barrel, we flung into some messed up crap. We should be careful."

"Alright, I'll open it up."

"Huh?" Franky questioned, "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Yes, I did, _Dad_," Henley sarcastically answered, "But here's the thing. While I'm in my hybrid form, I can sense some things. Like danger, for instance. I'll try to see if there's a trap in the barrel, and if it's clear, we'll open it. Simple, yeah?"

"I don't like your attitude, but alright. I'm willing to try anything."

"Oh, and big guy?"

"Yeah?"

"This time, _hang on_ to the steering wheel or make sure someone's going to take over before you do this kind of thing again."

"Oh, whatever!"

XXX

In the women's dorms...

Nami was holding a bag of ice wrapped in a cloth against her right eye. By order of Chopper, she was required to hold it against her head for ten minutes, every hour or so. Time was up, and she put the cloth down on the round table in front of her.

Her face was very red, since she had been crying for almost an hour. It has subsided since then, but her mood hasn't changed. She sat down on the sofa in front of the table, and sighed.

"Luffy..." She murmured, "I'm so sorry..."

Nami could've cried once more, but she ran out of tears to shed. There was nothing left but sadness in her heart. If she could erase the days when she acted demeaning and petty to him, she would. She wished things were different in this short life she had, but that wouldn't get her anywhere now.

She remembered the day when she was freed from Arlong, the day Luffy fixed her life, giving her a chance at her dream.

_"NAMI! NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS, YOU ARE MY CREWMATE!"_

"Some _crewmate_ I was, huh," Nami stoically huffed, burying her head on the desk with her hands.

***KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!*** Someone was at the door outside the dorms. Nami guessed Chopper was wanting to check up on her, but she proven wrong when she looked up to see who emerged from the doorway.

"Hey, Nami," Sanji spoke up, holding Luffy's hat in his hands.

"Go away, Sanji!" Nami shouted, reverting back to covering herself in her arms. "I don't want to talk to _you_ or anyone else!"

"But Nami," The cook pleaded, "I just want to give you his hat."

"Why?" The navigator queried, discontented.

"Luffy... He always gives you his hat, doesn't he?"

Nami parted her eyes to the side, answering with a slight nod.

"Here, I'll just leave it on the table," Sanji offered, putting Luffy's hat in front of her.

"Is that all you came in here to do?"

"Well, there is something else."

"Of course there is," Nami mused, "Just make it quick."

"Nami, I'm really sorry for all that's happened," Sanji apologized, "I kicked Luffy down so many times. He wanted to talk with you the day before yesterday, and I shut him out, hard."

"He wanted to talk to me, didn't he?"

"He wanted to help you out," The cook nodded, "And then I came along."

"And you said that _I_ _belong to you_," Nami stated, "Why?"

"H-Huh?" The cook questioned, sweating.

"I've avoided this topic long enough. You said that _I was yours_ while you attacked and argued with Luffy. Why?"

Sanji nervously sweated, pushing his index fingers together.

"I guess... Because he's an idiot, he doesn't deserve you or any woman."

The cook jumped when Nami stood up from her chair and slammed her hands on the table, making the sound echo through the room.

"And you think _you deserve_ me, think that _you can make me_ _**yours**_?!" She shouted in outrage.

"I thought that you deserve better men than him! He's an idiot!"

"You don't decide how I should live my life! And also, _deserve better men_ than him?! He's been nothing but a better man than others!"

"N-Nami..." Sanji choked up his words, before recovering. "Nami, you're right about that. Luffy is a better man, no, a better person than I am."

"You aren't just _angry_ at him because of me, are you?" Nami questioned, crossing her arms.

"No, I wasn't," Sanji shook his head, "I was angry at him just so I could make myself feel better. He took down Arlong, Eneru, and Shiki, men that threatened your life. And even though I protected you sometimes, I didn't get any glory or recognition from it."

"Glory? You think there's glory in fighting madmen and monsters obsessed with destruction and ruling over people?"

"I wanted to be the guy who could save and get the girl at end of it," Sanji took out a fresh cigarette from his pants pocket, and put it in his mouth. He also pulled out his lighter and held it in the palm of his hand. "I wanted to prove I just as good as Luffy, and maybe, win you over. I'm jealous of him."

"Luffy wanted to be the Pirate King," Nami pointed out, "But it wouldn't have mattered if he knew his successes would make him famous or not. He did all of this because he wanted to. He even helped others because it felt right to. Because he wanted to help those that needed it."

"So did I," The cook confessed, sighing. "I don't know what I was thinking. It's all my fault."

"What?"

"Everything that happened to Luffy isn't on you. It's all on me."

"Just stop for a minute," The navigator ordered, "You think you're the only one responsible?"

"Yes and no," The cook scratched the back of his head, "I mean, Moss-head and the other guys, minus Brook and Chopper, are guilty too. But you and Robin did nothing wrong."

Nami scoffed, hearing what Sanji had to say. "Are you kidding me? Robin lied to Luffy for gratification. You lied because I wanted to. Even worse, I lied because I didn't have the nerve to face him! I even hurt Luffy's feelings after I screwed him over! Again! And you have the _gall_ to claim I did _**nothing wrong**_?!"

"Nami, Luffy acted the way he did because of me! You didn't hurt him at all!"

"**YES, I DID!**" Nami screeched, making the hair on Sanji's neck stand on end. She slightly calmed down, but didn't disperse her anger. "If you're done trying to delude me into thinking I'm perfect in every way, if you're done trying to woo me because I'm a woman, then do something useful for once in your **goddamn gift-wrapped life!**"

Sanji was definitively shocked by Nami's fury. He knew that her past was filled with terrible memories of poverty and sadness, but he had no idea that she was _this _bitter to other people that aren't poor.

"Nami..." He muttered, "I... I'm sorry... I didn't-"

The navigator raised her hand up, to which Sanji took it as a sign to stop.

"Just stop," She mumbled, pissed off still. "As much as I deserve an apology for being treated like a piece of meat by you, I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

"Yeah..." Sanji nodded, lighting his cigarette as he walked out the door. "I just don't think I deserve to be forgiven, now."

"Tch, join the club."

Nami followed him outside, grabbing Luffy's hat and putting it on her head.

"You're actually coming out?"

"I'm through crying and whining," Nami declared, "I can't face Luffy, let alone help him. But I'll try and get you guys to where you need to go."

"I need to see Robin and Zoro," Sanji stated, "They're talking to Brook about what happened when we lost the flag. I'm going to fill in some loose ends."

"Alright."

XXX

When Sanji arrived at the aquarium...

"RRAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

Brook had thrown his violin on the couch, screaming out in frustration all the while. The cook had come to see Zoro and Robin explaining the incident at Lovely Land to him, in full detail. Saying the musician wasn't taking it well was an understatement at this point.

"Goddammit, all!" He swore, "He had a right to know, and you still kept it hidden from him!"

"Repeating the same statement over and over again won't do much good, Brook," Zoro bluntly pointed out, "Besides, we established that we deserved to get scolded by Luffy."

"But still!" Brook paced back and forth, covering his nonexistent eyes with his skeletal hand. "If I knew what I was getting into with a crew like this, I would've thought twice before accepting Luffy's offer!"

"I assure you," Robin chimed in, sitting in a chair in front of the mast. "We aren't always like this. In this instance, we felt compelled to... misdirect Luffy's attention for differing reasons."

"But you should've been honest with him!"

"If you were there, Brook," Sanji sighed, trying to light his cigarette. "You would understand the pressure we felt when we lost the flag."

"Even pressure over losing the Jolly Roger doesn't give you the right to lie to him! Especially if you've been a part of the crew longer than the others have!"

"Brook, none of that matters now," Zoro proceeded to stand up, taking a swig of his bottle of sake. "We need to find Luffy and bring him back. Even if it takes a whole lifetime."

"That young man, Henley, he has made a good point."

"You mean about whether Luffy will forgive us or not?" Robin questioned.

"That's right," Brook nodded, "Luffy won't see me as a part of your 'conspiracy,' but I doubt the same can be said for the rest of you."

"We can worry about that when we find him," Sanji mumbled, "Dwelling on this isn't going to get us anywhere."

"Personally, I don't care what Luffy will do," Brook coldly replied, taking his violin and heading to the exit. "Because all of you have lost my respect."

The musician opened the door and closed it as quickly as he left the three in the room.

"We can't avoid that topic forever," Zoro said, walking to the door. "Even if we do save Luffy, I doubt we'll still have a captain."

"You might be right," Sanji mused, blowing smoke from his mouth.

"On the bright side, for you, at least," Zoro muttered under his breath, "You won't have to take orders from an idiot."

"What did you say?!" The cook shouted, running up to Zoro and attempting to attack him.

"Will you both quit it?!" Robin yelled, standing from her seat. Her commands couldn't stop the two from fighting, and they began to commence.

XXX

Meanwhile, outside...

"This is actually what we need!" Henley cheered, carefully holding an Eternal Pose in his hand. In his other hand, he was stuffing torn packaging paper that was previously wrapped around the pose into his jacket pocket.

"Great!" Franky responded, steering the ship. "Guess we don't need that barrel anymore, huh?"

"Well, I don't need it," Henley shrugged, "But that's beside the point! This Eternal Pose is going to lead us right to their marine base!"

"Seriously?! How do you know that?"

Henley morphed into his other arachnid form and leaped onto Franky's back, landing with his extra spider legs and looking down on him. He leaned over his shoulders, and whispered with a creepy smile...

"I can see into the future..."

"W-What...?" Franky blinked, until the half-breed broke character and jumped off of him.

"Not really, it just says G-13 on it. But I had you going there, didn't I?"

"You're such a jackass!" The cyborg shouted, developing shark teeth while Henley grinned.

"Well, the role chose me..."

"Hey, guys!" Nami came up behind them, placing her hands on her hips. "Do we have a heading?"

"Do we ever!" Franky raised his thumb up, "An Eternal Pose to a marine base!"

"Not just any marine base!" Henley chimed in, "G-13! The marine base of Commander Beau-Pére! That's the one place he would take your captain!"

"Wait!" Nami demanded, gesturing him to slow down. "You mean to say that we have an Eternal Pose to a marine base, which happened to be in that barrel?"

Henley blinked, looking back to the barrel, then to the pose in his hand.

"Huh, you're right," He said, "This is too convenient. It's like someone intentionally left this for us to find it."

"So, what do we do?" Franky pondered, "Do we go where the needle points or not?"

"It's the only lead on Luffy's whereabouts," The navigator took the pose from Henley, despite slightly hesitating to touch anything he held while he was in his spider form. "Wait, Luffy has a Vivre Card!"

"What?" Henley blinked, "A Vivre Card?"

"That's right. This card can lead us to his brother, Ace."

"No kidding! I sent a sea serpent to deliver a message to him!"

"Wait a sec," The cyborg interjected, "You sent a _sea serpent_ to give Luffy's bro a message?"

"Not the point!" The half-breed stated, "The point is, we can get Ace to-!" He stopped mid-sentence.

"What?" Nami questioned, wondering why Henley abruptly cut himself off.

"No," He began shaking his head, "No, it's too late for that now. Luffy's probably too far gone for that now."

"Huh?!" Nami and Franky exclaimed.

"What makes you say that?!" Franky yelled, demanding an answer.

"You all heard the captain's voice," Henley pointed out, "He's lost the will to live. You could hear how tired he was, tired of listening to me, you, everyone here. I don't think even a familiar face like Ace's can bring him back."

"You think he's _that _far gone?!" Nami shouted, almost ready to pummel him, despite his nightmare-inducing looks.

"I told you what would happen if anyone drank that serum, remember? The worst case was that he'll lose his will to live and he did!"

"Yeah, thanks to you!" The shipwright retorted, making the creepy runt look back at him. "This wouldn't have happened if you left him alone!"

"One, he wouldn't quit following me. Two, I thought he was going to kill me. Three, I wanted him to let me go. Four, I was stupid. Five, you guys are just as guilty as I am! Need I go on?! 'Cause I can do that!"

"Grr, fine!"

"But that doesn't mean it's over," Henley shifted his gaze to Nami, "He can still be saved if he's reminded of the good things he's done!"

"The... good things?" Nami repeated, slightly fiddling with the straw hat.

"I know you pirates aren't as bad as the world made you out to, no, what I made you out to be. Ace showed me there was good in your kind of people so long ago."

"How did you know about 'Fire Fist' Ace anyway?" Franky mulled over.

"Again, not the point," Henley reverted to his semi-normal state, "Luffy needs to remember the good in you guys. He also has to realize that none of this was his fault."

"What do you mean?" Nami queried.

"Weren't you listening while he said his farewell speech? He blamed himself for letting this happen. He blamed himself for you lying to him. That's not right."

"No... No, it isn't," The navigator sadly murmured, clutching her left arm in the process. "Not when it's my fault."

"The only way to restore his emotional and mental health is to make him feel better, make him want to continue his dreams. He has to be convinced that he wasn't responsible and that he still matters to you guys."

"You think we can do it?" Franky raised an eyebrow, looking back to him.

"He's your friend. You tell me."

"So we're going to that marine base?"

"Yes, we are," Nami proclaimed, holding the Eternal Pose. "Luffy's our responsibility."

'He's _my_ responsibility,' She told herself, 'I won't abandon him again. Not like those other times.'

Her thoughts were interrupted by shoes clashing with swords and hateful language spreading across the entire ship.

Usopp was climbing down from the Crow's Nest in time to see sparks really fly.

"Again?!" Nami groaned in exasperation, walking down to the grassy deck. "Can't they stop it for one second?!"

"HEY!" Henley yelled out to the cook and swordsman, "Quit it over there!"

"All you've done is treat Luffy with no respect!" Zoro bellowed, swiping as Sanji with two of his swords.

"And what about you?!" Sanji retorted, "I don't recall you being good to our captain, either!"

"Alright, enough!" Nami shouted, almost ready to take out her Clima-Tact and swing at them with it. "We can't help Luffy if we're all fighting each other!"

"No one put you in charge, bitch!" Zoro growled, gripping his swords. "All you've ever done is sit on your ass instead of do anything to help anyone in this crew!"

"Zoro, she's the navigator!" Brook pointed out, jumping to Nami's defense. "She can't do any heavy lifting because she has to plan the course of the ship!"

"I don't care if she's the damn navigator or not! She's weak!"

"Zoro, now's not the time!" Usopp shouted, getting between him, Sanji, and Nami, despite his fears.

"It doesn't matter if she does something useful in her worthless life! It won't change the fact that she's heartless to Luffy and useless to everyone! We should've let Arlong use her 'til she killed herself!"

The wind was howling again, but it's screeching went unheard as the world went silent. It felt like a heavy hammer dropped, and was picked up again, only to bang on the floor again and again until either one cracked.

The cook, his hair obscuring his eyes, went up to Zoro, attempting to plant his foot on his face, and then some. But before he could scrape Zoro's skin with his shoe, a blur appeared in front of him.

"What the fuck?!" Sanji cursed, but was promptly backhanded by the same blur, landing on the ground.

"Enough of this shit," Henley coldly spoke, holding the cook's cigarette, which he stole from his mouth. "This senseless name-calling and violence isn't going to save your captain!"

"What?" Zoro flippantly questioned, "Since we don't have a captain, we're supposed to listen to a pissant like you?"

"**THIS IS NOT UP FOR DEBATE, YOU FUCKING SCOUNDRELS!**"

The crew stopped to look at him, seeing the redhead quickly morph into his hybrid form as he bellowed in rage. He stood as tall as his arachnid legs would allow him, giving the crew a clear look of his frightening face, almost looking like a demon-possessed his body. This person already wasn't having any of it, and he was only on this ship for a minute or so.

"Regardless of how justified your personal attacks to each other and me _might_ be, they will undermine your attempts to help Luffy! So I suggest you all do a favor and **shove your feelings up your asses and focus!**"

It all became silent, minus the breathing sounds on the ship and the waves hitting it. No was going to raise their voice against him, whether out of fear or because he was right.

"You want to kick me and beat me and for my actions?" Henley pondered, flicking Sanji's cigarette to the floor. "Do it later. Right now, we need a plan of how we can save the captain."

"Zoro," The archaeologist appeared in front of Zoro, staring coldly into his eyes. "When Luffy comes back, he'll want to hear all of this."

"Good," He whispered, "I think he'll want to get rid of her even more."

"We've got some good news," Henley said, eyeing the swordsman and chef, who was getting up from the ground. "And we would've shared them if not for the rude interruption."

"What kind of good news do you mean?" Brook questioned, walking up to him.

"We have an Eternal Pose to Beau-Père's base, which is where Luffy will be taken to."

"Really?!" The uninformed crew members exclaimed, including Chopper, who showed up at the right time to hear it all.

"That means we still have a chance at getting Luffy to come back!" Usopp speculated.

"Yeah," Henley agreed, "But there's a little problem with that."

"What?" Sanji wondered, picking up his cigarette and holding it in his mouth. "What kind of problem are you talking about?"

"This Eternal Pose... It came from a barrel out at sea. Besides that, this is a marine-issued pose."

"You mean a marine sent this to us?!" Chopper cried out.

"I never said that," Henley reminded, "But the possibility is there."

'Does that mean _he_ sent this to us?' He thought, putting a finger under his chin. 'Is it his way of telling us to help Luffy? Or is it a challenge?'

"Either way, we should go to that base as soon as possible," The musician ruminated, "After all, it _is _our only lead."

"I was thinking the same thing," Zoro nodded, "But we also need a plan."

"We'll come up with a plan of action when we get to the base," Henley took the pose from Nami's hands, "I'll get this to the big guy so he can take us there."

"S-Sure," The navigator stammered, looking to the sea. She sighed and leaned on the railing woebegone.

"I'll get back to you guys on this later," The half-breed diverted attention to him, noticing Nami's change in character. "Just get ready for when we arrive. I know Beau-Pére and his men enough that they'll give us a hell of a fight."

"Thanks for the advance notice," The swordsman remarked, following Henley up to the helm deck.

"Chopper, can I speak with you?" Brook asked politely, with the doctor nodding. The two went to talk in the men's dorms, leaving Usopp, Sanji, Robin, to check with Nami, who was in a dreary mood.

"Nami?" Robin called, "Are you alright?"

"What have we done?" She heard her mutter, "Why did I do this?"

"Nami," Sanji spoke up, "We lied to Luffy only because of what I said. I suggested that we save face to Luffy and keep this quiet, and you all went along with it."

"But I didn't _just_ do it to save face..." The navigator brought her head down, "I considered being insulted by Luffy as a blow to my ego, and made that my main reason not to tell him."

"Same here," Usopp raised his hand, "But what Zoro said to you was out of line. He didn't know about your past dealings with Arlong or that you robbed other pirates so you could buy back your village."

"Wait," Nami's head rose up, hearing her past motives. "How did you know that?!"

"Your sister, Nojiko," The cook admitted, "She told us why you did it. This was after you told me, Zoro and Luffy to leave the island. A while after that, we found Usopp."

"Oh, of course."

"Look, Nami," The liar began to phrase, "I can tell you don't think you deserve to be here-"

"I don't," Nami confirmed matter-of-factly.

"And I admit, I don't think you should be here anymore," Usopp confessed, getting dirty looks from Robin and Sanji. "What?"

"Why would you say something like that?!" Sanji seethed, "She didn't do anything to you!"

"Remember the Davy Back Fight?" Usopp made the others recollect, "The Donut Race?"

"Are you referring to that one moment when you used an Impact Dial in the race?" Robin questioned.

"Yeah, well, not just that. It was during the first part of the race. Nami wasn't exactly cooperative during it all."

"Uncooperative?" Robin repeated, "What are you talking about?"

"Cut the crap, Robin!" Usopp's outburst took the other three by surprise, and for good reason. "She wasn't doing much rowing, let alone being supportive! Plus, I almost broke my shoulder using the Impact Dial and she demanded I do it again, without caring if I broke it!"

"Nami would never say that!" Sanji argued, fighting the urge to break Usopp's face with his foot.

"I did say that, didn't I?"

"N-Nami?" The cook sweated, hearing the navigator practically admit it.

"Usopp, I'm sorry I said that," She sighed, looking back to him. "I'm sorry that I've been awful to you and the others for so long. I won't blame you if can't forgive me for how I've acted."

"That's it?" The sniper questioned, "No justification? No 'please forgive me?' None of that?"

"I don't deserve any kind of forgiveness," Nami crossed her arms, "Especially not for how I made Luffy turn out this way."

"Oh, Nami," Robin uttered in pity.

"Well, at least you're honest about that," Usopp looked at the navigator with a disappointed expression, "But it doesn't matter what you say. As far as I'm concerned, you're not forgiven."

"Bastard!" Sanji cried out, kicking Usopp in his face. The blow sent him down to the ground. "Apologize to her, damn you!" He began stomping on Usopp over and over, he had to be restrained by Robin's extra arms.

"Sanji, stop!" Robin commanded, "This isn't worth it!"

"That's enough, Sanji," Nami's stoic tone brought the cook to quit resisting against the sprouted arms.

"But, Nami-"

"Please... No more of this..." She crouched to Usopp, reaching her hand as an offer to help him up. However, the sniper pulled himself up, refusing the gesture.

"Look, I said that you didn't deserve to be forgiven," He said, "But you didn't deserve to get treated like that."

"Maybe you're wrong about that," Nami mused, "Besides, I'm the one at fault."

"No, we're all at fault," Robin corrected, freeing Sanji from her grasp. "We all must face the consequences of our actions towards Luffy."

"He might not forgive us, though," Sanji pointed out, "I don't know if we can live with that."

"We don't have a choice," Nami shook her head, "Besides, you have to appeal to Luffy to get him to come back. We can't sugarcoat anything, and we can't pretend that nothing happened."

"Sort of like what you did when I left the crew, huh?" Usopp murmured, making the three look at him. "Chopper and Zoro told me about it. And honestly, they were right. I was at fault and I overstepped Luffy's boundaries, and if I couldn't see that, I couldn't come back."

"But it's different this time," Robin crossed her arms, inquisitively analyzing the past days with the present. "We pushed Luffy to his limits and drove him away. Considering his tendency to be stubborn, it'll be difficult to for us to make him return."

"We _WILL_ get him back, Robin," Sanji nodded his head, "I'll won't rest until he's back."

"I'll cooperate with you, Nami," Usopp declared, "But this isn't for you. It's for Luffy."

"Right," Nami affirmed, feeling the brim of Luffy's hat. "This is all for him."

"It's best if we prepare for when we arrive at that base," Robin stated, moving up to the women's dorms. "I'll see you when it's time to plan."

"Sure," The guys muttered, nodding their heads.

Nami mumbled something that could be translated as a yes, which Robin accepted.

As they dispersed, Nami stayed behind, forlorn over the circumstances.

"Can I even help him still?" She whispered, "I thought I can still help, but now..."

She brought the hat down to cover her eyes as best she could.

"Even when we get Luffy back, it won't change what I've done, will it?"

Nami shook her head, unable to find any answer.

"Maybe it won't matter if I die or not. Maybe I don't **deserve to be forgiven at all**."

She leaned over the railing, looking out into the void. She doesn't know what lies in store for her or the crew, only that nothing will be the same anymore...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	17. Ch 16- Guilty

**Chapter 16- Guilty**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Beau-Père, Scorcher, Seventy, Fixit, and Ashley © HatOnFire/Me

(Quick Note: Severe angst and uncomfortable themes ahead in the 2nd part of the chapter. It may not be suitable or comfortable for any readers. I sure wouldn't be, and I had to write this. Please, read with caution.)

* * *

Beau-Père's office was always clean, which is expected of a high-ranking officer in charge of a large base. But even with no trace of dust, his office desk is almost always disheveled with papers.

The Commander believed that now was a good time to sort everything out. However, he would be proven wrong, when Fixit, Seventy, and Scorcher came into his office.

"Well?" Fixit questioned, expecting his commander to answer the question on his mind.

"'Well,' what?" Beau-Père responded, raising an eyebrow.

"Sir, I know that you think Henley can handle himself, but leaving him behind with those pirates most likely wasn't the best idea."

"We've locked up 'Straw Hat' Luffy, and there's no way his crew can find us," Scorcher pointed out, raising his index finger. "So we can go back out there, beat the crap outta those guys, and get Henley to come with us!"

"I thought I made it clear," Beau-Père murmured, "When I said we wouldn't be going back for him. He's able-bodied and can take care of himself. Besides, we can't associate ourselves with pirates."

"W-What?" Seventy questioned, crossing his arms. "B-But Henley isn't a pirate, let alone a criminal."

"I wish that were true," The Commander sighed, reaching into his jacket to pull out a wanted poster. "However... Well, you might want to look for yourself."

The poster showed a young Henley, gritting his teeth and glaring at something behind him. There was blood dripping from his nose, some in the mouth staining his incisors and leaving his lower lip down to his chin. There was an open cut on his left cheek, which looked like a left parenthesis, complete with departing crimson. Also, there was smoke in the air, at the time the picture was taken. The writing on the poster says...

**WANTED**

**DEAD OR ALIVE**

**WILLIAM HENLEY**

**B 83,000,000**

The group couldn't say a word, not with their eyes entranced by the sight of a young boy, someone they know, having a criminal record on him. The look of a boy with a hardened heart was a stark contrast to a colorful boy who had dreams, wearing a cool smile all the while.

"This..." Fixit uttered, looking at the picture. "This can't be..."

"Henley is a..." Seventy whispered with dilating eyes, "He's a pirate...?!"

"No!" Scorcher furiously denied the existence of the poster, "That's not true! That's impossible!"

"I wish it weren't the case..." Beau-Père quietly spoke, "But when Straw Hat referred to Henley, one of the men said that he heard that name before. Then, he showed me a wanted poster with Henley's name on it."

"The poster looks new," Fixit took the poster from the Commander to examine it closely, noting the paper is fresh. "But the picture of Henley looks... a little young."

"He brought up Henley's age, too. He was fourteen when that picture was taken, and the location was on the property of a labor camp."

"Fourteen?!" The soot-covered marine yelled in shock and disbelief.

"Labor camp?!" It was Fixit's turn to clamor, sweating bullets.

"I don't know what transpired there, on that day," The team's superior stated, "But this bounty is high because sources claim that he is responsible for a terrible incident, something I don't believe."

The stalwart hunter's eye twitched under his cap. He then asked, "What is that 'terrible incident?'"

Beau-Père took a breath until answering, "The incident involved a staff member of the World Government, but beyond that, I'm afraid I can't tell anymore. I simply don't know."

"Well, there's no way Henley would do anything bad!" Scorcher reaffirmed, "For a tiny runt, he's a nice guy and has a good heart! He wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"And yet, he's connected to an incident where many lives were lost, regardless of who was evil or not. ...There's also something else I should state."

"Commander?" The men looked at Beau-Père, each taking a moment to process all the information.

"Boys, it's likely that the Straw Hat Pirates will come here. Sooner than we think, assuming they found something to get here."

"What do you mean?" Scorcher questioned, "Seventy and I made a smokescreen. They can't follow us if they couldn't see us."

"That's true," The Commander mumbled, "However, if they found the barrel I left out in the sea, then they'll have the 3rd Eternal Pose for this base, and find it here."

"WHAT?!" The men exclaimed, each one more shocked than the last.

"Sir...!" Fixit seethed, grinding his teeth. "How could you do that?! We made it a point to follow our orders!"

"I know that!" Beau-Père shouted, "But that boy...! He doesn't deserve this fate!"

"That isn't supposed to be our concern!" Seventy pointed out, bellowing through his mouthpiece. "He's a pirate, and regardless of who he is, we were sent to capture him!"

"And we did!" Beau-Père replied, "No one ever said anything about not giving the pirates a hint to where our base is!"

"No one said anything about telling the pirates where our base is, either!" Scorcher interrupted, "Why did you do that?!"

"I..." The Commander stopped suddenly until he regained his voice. "I just... I guess I felt terrible for him. He looked like he was at wit's end. I felt... compelled to do something for him."

"Sir," The mechanic spoke softly, calming down. "I heard from Sengoku that he would give you a promotion to Rear Admiral if we take the pirate to Marineford. He's waiting for you to respond, as we speak."

"R-Rear Admiral?" The Commander repeated, hearing the sound of moving up the ranks. "You mean..."

"That's right, sir. It's the chance you've wanted for a long time. A chance to be greater than you are now."

"I... I knew that 'Straw Hat' Luffy's capture would be a big deal, but this..."

He was going to let his mind wander if an important question didn't come into his mind.

"Wait, what will happen to the lad if he's taken to Marineford?"

Fixit brought a hand to his chin, stroking his goatee. "...I imagine that they'll make a display of their power to reaffirm the world's faith in this naval force."

Beau-Père grimaced, coming to a simple conclusion. He looked dead in Fixit's eyes and corrected, "You mean they'll have him executed."

"Sir-"

"Don't misconstrue the facts, goddammit!" He yelled with darkening eyes, "I know what that means!"

"Wait a minute," Scorcher raised his hands, gesturing them to slow down. "Wait, just... wait. Isn't Vice Admiral Garp Straw Hat's granddad?"

"Holy shit, your right!" Seventy confirmed, "Oh god, is he actually going to allow this?!"

Fixit was silent, crossing his arms and parting his eyes to look out the window.

"Well?" Beau-Père huffed, "Is it the case?"

The pregnant pause stirred in the office for a little while longer, until Fixit answered...

"I don't know, exactly, but..." He paused until he spoke up again, "It's likely... That as long as Garp is a marine, then he must accept the fact that his grandson is a pirate and will die as such."

"I don't believe it!" Scorcher threw his hands up in the air in disbelief, "The boy's grandpa is allowing it! What a bunch of bullshit!"

"Garp is known for being a hero of the marines," Seventy tapped his finger against the metal covering his chin, "But I don't think he'd want this to happen to his own family..."

"Leave," Beau-Père commanded, walking back to his desk. "Now."

"Sir?" Fixit queried, only to get a glimpse of Beau-Pére's furious expression.

"**Leave. Now.**"

"Yessir!" The men saluted and got the hell out of there, so to speak. The Commander was alone at the desk, looking at the transponder snail that was there.

"I want answers," He murmured, "One way or another, I will have them."

XXX

In the detention center...

Luffy stayed seated on the bench while an illusion of his brother, _Ace_, leaned against the bars of the cell. The latter had brought the hat down a little, covering his eyes and his expression.

"You're not him," The former captain glared at his hallucination, even shaking his head in denial. "You're not real."

"That really hurts, bro," _Ace _lifted his hat up slightly, "I'm real enough, at least, for you."

"Okay, listen!" Luffy huffed in a mixture of annoyance and anger, "I've told off my crew, I left them, I even said that 'I would never forgive them!' What more do you want from me?!"

The only answer Luffy got was his imaginary brother's silence, as his face looked uninterested.

"Answer my question! I said-"

"It's really simple, bro," _Ace_ interrupted, imprinting an unsettling grin on his face. "**You haven't suffered enough**."

Luffy gasped, disturbed by _Ace's_ expression and his insinuation.

"W-What do you mean?! I-I'm not hurting at all! I-I-I'm not s-sorry for l-leaving them at all!"

"Heh-heh-heh," _His brother_ chuckled, "You're still a terrible liar, Luffy. Only a failure of a pirate could suck so bad."

"T-That's..." Luffy couldn't retort that statement, not after what he told Beau-Pére. "...I am a failure," He sighed, "I don't need you to tell me that."

"I'm sure you don't, but that's what memories are for, eh?"

"Memories?"

"You went on and on about how you wanted to be a pirate, 'cause it was your destiny and purpose and all that crap. But you don't really deserve to be a pirate, do you?"

The look on Luffy's face darkened when the hallucination dared to say something like that. He gritted his teeth and snarled, "What did you just say...?"

"Don't get your panties in a twist, bro," _Ace_ shrugged, "You know it's true. You were such a pain in the ass, everyone you touch gets it rough. With how many people you hurt, it's no wonder your 'friends' are glad to see you go."

"Shut up!" The former captain roared, "That's not right! You're wrong! I know you're wrong!"

"...Really?" Ace quirked an eyebrow, tilting his head with a slasher smile. "Something tells me ole 'Red-Haired' Shanks probably holds a certain incident against you."

"S-Shanks?" Luffy's mind quickly ran like clockwork, bringing him back to an incident.

XXX

_"I-It's going to eat me! HELP!"_

_A young Luffy was struggling to keep himself afloat as a giant Sea King, the Lord of the Coast, was poised to swallow the morsel before him._

_'This is it...!' Luffy thought, 'I'm going to die!'_

_"UWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" The boy screamed, bracing for the worst._

_The Sea King snapped his jaws shut, tasting flesh in his teeth. He looked down, but much to his surprise, there was another human, older and with red hair, and he was holding the boy close to him._

_"Get lost..." Red-Haired Shanks growled, his eyes staring down the giant beast. After a quick moment, the Lord of the Coast's whole being shivered with fright. He swam away, retreating to the ocean beyond._

_Luffy sniffled, trying hard not to let his eyes water. However, he couldn't stop himself from the act._

_"Makino told me what happened, Luffy," The pirate said softly, smiling. "That was dangerous and brave. Thank you for sticking up for me and my crew. Hey, don't cry. You're a man now."_

_"B-But, S-Shanks...!" Luffy cried. "Y-Your arm..."_

_"YOUR ARM!" Shanks held onto Luffy with his right arm as the young boy hugged Shanks, sobbing. There was no trace of a left arm on Shank's body, for it was torn clean off by the sea king._

_"It's only one arm," The red-haired pirate said. "I've still got another one here. All that matters is you're safe." Luffy continued to cry into his shirt. They both remained together in the sea for what felt like hours until they got back to dry land._

XXX

"Shanks..." Luffy whispered as the memories began to play in full swing, "H-His arm... I-It's my fault that his arm..."

"That's right," _Ace_ nodded his head, "He wouldn't have gotten it torn off if you didn't try and defend his so-called honor from the bandits that put you in that mess."

"N-No...!" Luffy shook his head in denial, "No, that's wrong! I didn't know that Sea King was going to show up! I didn't expect Shanks to lose an arm for me!"

"Even if you didn't cause his arm to get torn off, you may as well be guilty of that," A female voice uttered in disdain, catching the former captain off-guard.

"A-Ashley?!" He exclaimed, "Oh god, not another one!"

"You weren't expecting me to take part in this?" _Ashley _approached him, menacingly clutching her double-edged axe. "Then you must've forgotten all about me."

"Y-You've made your point! Just leave me alone and uh, g-go chop some wood on a stump or some-"

"Luffy, _just shut up_," _Ashley_ seethed, bringing the broad side of the axe down on Luffy's head, slamming him into the stone floor.

"UGH!" The impact wasn't enough to make him bleed, but it didn't change how much it hurt. Luffy tried to pick himself up since his hands were bound behind him. "Y-You're not real... That shouldn't have... Hurt me..."

"Oh, it's real enough," The axe bearer wickedly grinned, "The pain in your mind, it's starting to run its course on you. You know what happens then, right?"

"I-I heard it from that creepy runt. I know what's gonna happen next, but I won't say it!"

"Oh?" _Ace_ gasped in fake surprise, "You won't ask for death? You won't wish to die?"

"Never!" Luffy proclaimed, "Even though I want nothing to do with those guys for what they did, I still don't want to die! I still have things to live for!"

"Really?" _Ashley_ questioned, "But didn't you just say to your friends that _nothing_ matters to you anymore?"

"T-That's..."

"And you were so sure you'd be king, little bro," _Ace_ pointed out, rushing to grab Luffy by the neck and slamming him to the cold bars of the cell. He lit up the index finger on his free hand, holding it in Luffy's face. "But you've had doubts before you even had a crew. You doubted that you could do it."

"Shut up, just shut up!" Luffy shouted, shaking his head and closing his eyes. "This is just a dream, this is just a dream!"

_Ace_ threw Luffy to the stone wall, annoyed with him. But his grin returned as the white in his eyes turned black and his pupils went red.

"_This isn't a dream this time,_" He coldly said, letting fire run along his exposed muscles. "_But don't worry, we'll fix that. Won't we, Ashley?_"

"_Oh yes,_" _Ashley_ replied, lifting the axe on her shoulder. Suddenly, blood began to pour from her head, her eyes, and her nostrils. A few strands of her orange hair fall, her clothes began to develop tears, and her face became completely white as the crimson blood turned black. "_Lights out, for now, dumbass trash. Hold still._"

Luffy had tried to dodge the broad side of her axe, the keywords being tried and dodge, but he was smacked in the face. His head hit the stone behind him, and he began to slip into unconsciousness.

XXX

Luffy groaned as he woke up to the world around him. It was pitch black, save for the lantern that was floating above him. The only surrounding he could see was the stone floor his knees were on. He also noticed his arms were still cuffed together.

"What, I can't do what I want in my dream?" He scoffed, looking around him. "Is anyone out there?"

"Right here, kid," A large, rotund man appeared behind him. He had black facial hair that went along his jaw, his nose was a little long, and he had missing teeth. He was wearing a black bandana, an open white shirt, green pants that have black line patterns, a yellow sash tied to his waist, and black boots.

"Y-You?!" Luffy questioned in shock, "You're the guy from Mock Town! The one who kept wanting cherry pies!"

"Ze-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!" The _cherry pie man_ laughed, "That's right!"

"Well, get me outta here!" The former captain demanded, motioning to his cuffs.

"Whoa, now, Straw Hat! I can't let you leave! You'll miss the show!"

"The show? I don't get what you're talking about, but I don't much care! Let me go!"

"Dreamers like you wanted to be the Pirate King, yeah? But now you're giving up, all because your feelings got hurt. Because they lied to you."

The fat man tried to stifle his laughter, but he then let it all out and uproariously laughed in Luffy's face.

"ZE-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!"

"W-What's so funny?!" Luffy's face started to turn red from a mix of embarrassment and ire. He only calmed down when the black-bearded man explained himself.

"Don't you get it, boy? Your crew is also pirates! They lie, steal, and cheat! They murder, rape, pillage, and plunder! That's all pirates are known for! That's what we all are!"

"N-NO!" Luffy shouted, "We're adventurers! We don't do that!"

"You're sticking up for guys like us? I thought that didn't matter to you? Unless you're being a hypocrite?"

Luffy scowled at his would-be teacher.

"Well," The _big man_ continued, "Whether you're a hypocrite or not, I don't think that matters anymore. You're no longer a pirate, so you don't get a say in this. But I suppose you would never be cut out for this life."

"What?!"

"If you _really_ wanted to get to the One Piece and be the Pirate King, which is really important, then you would have to give up something that's also important. But you wouldn't have the stomach for that."

"Yes, I would!"

"Oh, really? Ze-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!"

"I bet you I can still be the Pirate King!"

"Well, once you see the reality in front of you, I think you'd want to reconsider."

A rope appeared right next to the _black-bearded man_, and he began to tug it with an arm. With his free hand, he grabbed Luffy and made him stand up.

"Look all around you, boy," He said while the black space was flooded with light, revealing something the boy did not expect.

Before him, there was an audience of people, a crowd that has gathered to see a true spectacle. Across from them was an execution platform, not unlike the one Gold Roger was executed on. But there were other people on that platform. More specifically...

"M-My... Crew...!" Luffy gasped, floored by what he was seeing. His crew, the group he came to know each had a black hood draped over their heads.

Suddenly, the execution platform was lowered and flames erupted from beneath the ground. A red wave of lava swallowed the crew whole and it was all over.

"No! NO!" Luffy screamed, seeing a grizzly scene unfold.

"If wealth and fame are what you want," The _large pirate_ stated, "Then you have to give up everything! Your family, your friends, your resources, everything!"

"Give them back to me!" Luffy tried to attack the large man, but it was futile. He got dropped easily and was preemptively stomped on.

"Now you want your friends back?" The _big man_ pondered aloud, "Didn't you say that you wanted to give up everything to be the Pirate King?"

"N-No!" The former captain denied, "I never said that!"

"Yes, you did. You responded with a yes. You knew the risks of that, didn't you?"

"You tricked me into saying it, you bastard!"

"Still a naive child, Luffy?" A familiar voice remarked, making the young boy gasp.

"Shanks?!" Luffy looked to his left and saw the red-haired pirate, missing an arm. "Oh, god...!"

"I risked my life for you, Luffy," _Shanks _growled, "But you gave up on your dream, and you broke a promise that you made to me."

"W-Wait, Shanks! I never meant to get you hurt all those years ago! I'm sorry!"

"**NO,** **YOU'RE NOT. YOU'RE A WASTE OF LIFE.**"

"You truly are a disgrace, Luffy," Another person bitterly remarked, "I can't believe my son brought you into this world."

Luffy looked to his right, seeing his grandfather, _Garp_, looking down on him.

"G-Gramps..." He looked at the old man, "I-I never meant for any of this to happen."

"None of this would have occurred," _Garp_ stated, "If you decided to be a marine instead of a pirate. Because there are no happy endings in this kind of life."

"B-But you'd be able to live free!" Luffy argued, "You'd have a fun and good life! Every day could be an adventure that didn't have to end!"

"An adventure?" The _black-bearded man_ questioned, "Ze-Ha-Ha-Ha! This isn't a game of pretend! This is serious business! People either live or die, killing each other for their own agendas! You don't understand that! That's why you could never be a good pirate like him!"

"He's right, Luffy," _Shanks_ somberly whispered, "You gave up so quickly. You don't have what it takes."

"No, I still can do this!" Luffy persisted, attempting to get up. "I can still-"

"You had your chance, grandson," _Garp_ told the boy, quickly punching him in his face into _Ashley_, who just appeared out of nowhere.

"And now, you're going to die!" She spat, holding him down and bringing him to his knees. "It's already set in. How much of a pathetic fool you are, I mean. Only now, you'll begin to beg for death."

"No, I can't give up!" The former captain struggled, stopping to see Ace and Sabo, the latter standing on a barrel, holding two nagitana, long poles with curved blades. "Ace?! Sabo?!"

"Welp, guess it had to end one way or another," _Sabo_ murmured, eying the weapon.

"Yeah," _Ace_ concurred, "What a pity, though."

"Guys, please don't do this!"

"The age where pirates dream never ends," The _fat man_ sinisterly smiled, "But for you, it's the end."

"Stop it, please!" Luffy kept begging, close to crying. "Don't do this!"

"At least die like a man, idiot grandson," _Garp _growled, crossing his arms. "Any D. would face his end with a smile."

"I don't want to die right now! I still have things to live for!"

"No, you don't," _Ashley_ hissed, "Stop trying to deny it."

"Ace! Shanks! Gramps! Anyone! You have to help me!"

"Goodbye, son of a devil," _Shanks_ turned around, not bothering to look at Luffy's coming demise.

"**PLEASE!**"

With sadistic grins plastered over them, Ace and Sabo raised up the nagitana and brought them down on top of Luffy's neck.

XXX

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Luffy woke up, sweating on his face and panting profusely. He looked around, seeing nothing but bars.

"Oh, god," He muttered, "It was all a dream."

He had his chance to breathe, acting as calm as possible.

"Even so, several points were made..."

Luffy jolted up, hearing another voice in his head. The loudest voice in his head.

"I-Is that...?" He gasped in horror, "M-My voice...?"

"It's all our fault."

"W-What?"

"We caused Nami to consider us as tools."

"I-I did?"

"We drove Usopp to leave during that incident at Water 7. We are guilty of the death of the Going Merry."

"W-What is...? Oh, no..."

It immediately dawned on Luffy what was going on. What Henley had alluded to, what the Ashley and Ace in his mind foreshadowed. It was this moment where Luffy would no longer have the will to live.

"We forced Zoro to damage his own body," The other Luffy continued, "Our idiocy drove our friends to lie to us."

"No," Luffy shook his head, "No, it's not...! It's not...!"

"True?" The other Luffy questioned, "But it is. Like it's our fault Sabo died. That Ashley's parents died and led to Ashley's attempt to murder us."

"I know what you're doing to me," Luffy bit his lip, "But you have to stop. Some of it is my fault, but that doesn't mean-"

"It's our fault that Shanks lost his arm."

"Stop reminding me of that! I know it is, and I'm sorry!" Luffy's tears started streaming again and he couldn't hold back any longer. "I know that I can never a great pirate, let alone a _Pirate King_. But..."

He looked out the window of his cell. There was no moon to see. The island, perhaps the entire Grand Line, was in the blackest night yet.

"But still... I want to live... I want to see the sun. Please leave me alone...!"

"Never," The other voice spoke using Luffy's mouth, "We deserve death and you know it."

"Stop it! Get out of my head!"

Luffy started going back and forth with himself, arguing with himself left and right. His mind was split in half, one side fighting for control.

"I don't deserve to have any peace!"

"Yes, I do!"

"I want to die!"

"But I want to live!"

"I wanted to be away from my so-called friends! I wanted to be alone!"

"So did I! But I didn't want to ask to die!"

"We might as well! If we keep going on like this, someone important to us will die! It's happened before, it'll happen again!"

"We can still go on! We can go on like nothing bad ever happened!'

"NO! I don't want that! I don't trust myself enough to do that!"

"I can trust myself!"

Luffy stopped, staring out into blank space with his eyes masked by shadows and by his jet black hair.

"**Like you trusted them?**"

Luffy screeched, thrashing about inside his cell, hitting the bars while clashing with someone invisible. He has become irrational, mad, and this time, no one was around to help him.

"No one asked you to be in charge of what I do!" He yelled.

"No one asked you to run their lives!"

"It hurts all over! But pain is a part of life!"

"LIFE IS PAIN! It would be better for everyone if we didn't exist at all!"

"That's wrong!"

"Well, I don't care anymore! I don't care about my dream! I don't even wanna with anyone!"

"I don't wanna go on!"

"I've caused too much trouble for everyone!"

"I'm a stain on their lives!"

"**I JUST WANNA DIE!**" He roars for the final time, his torn psyche worn out, resulting in the negative side winning.

Luffy bawls like a lost child, driven to the brink of his state of mind. Then, he does something completely unexpected.

He ran to the cell door and rammed it with his head. The pain would have been enough to discourage him further, but it did not register to him. In fact, the pain never did. It's almost as if some part of his nervous system quit, making him unable to feel pain.

Because of that, Luffy continued to run to the bars, this time stopping short from running into them. He proceeds to slam his head against them. **The pain still doesn't register.**

He does it again.

**Nothing.  
**  
He continues doing it over and over again, showing no sign of stopping until he does.

His head told him that it was enough, so he stepped backward. He slinked back to his seat and brought his head down, tears continuing to fall ever still.

This night, Straw Hat Luffy was at his lowest.

This night, no one is around to comfort him.

Even if there was someone, how could they?

He had no one left to depend on.

He had nothing left.

His belief that everything would be okay, Gone.

His Dream, Nonexistent.

His Trust, In Ruins.

His Faith, Broken.

His Love, Stomped On.

Monkey D. Luffy was...

SHATTERED.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	18. Ch 17- The Dependent Variable

**Chapter 17- The Dependent Variable**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Beau-Père, Scorcher, Fixit, Seventy, and the G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

The dark sky was only matched by the harsh sea, void of color. All sight had been robbed by the overhead clouds, blocking out the moonlight. The Thousand Sunny and its passengers were alone, guided only by the Eternal Pose they had recently found.

While they have out at sea for hours, it felt like heavy and slow winter months, time unapologetically delaying them.

Franky was still at the wheel, Henley was looking out with Usopp, and Nami held the Pose, keeping note of the slightest motion. Zoro's eyes were trained on her, almost looking for a reason to break her will further.

"Turn a little to the starboard side," The navigator uttered, void of emotion on her face.

The cyborg nodded, doing as he was told.

"Tch, all a woman like her is ever good for," Zoro dared to mumble beneath his breath, which went unnoticed by the others. Except for Henley, that is.

The shorter young man exerted a quiet puff sound, annoyed by the swordman's offhand comment towards his own crewmate. And yet, he let his mind wander, mulling over his first encounter with the pirates.

'He's not wrong, though I hate to admit it,' He thought, looking to the dark waves moving in a pattern. 'The captain's navigator is by far, one of the weakest members of this crew. Just because she's clever, that doesn't mean she's the kind of person who'll last long in a straight fight. However...'

"Guys, we're here," Nami stated, getting everyone's attention. "Look to your right."

There was an island in the distance, which was only visible because of the spotlights. They shone brightly as they traveled in a pattern, checking the nearby rocks to see if there was anything afoul.

"W-We finally found it..." Usopp whispered in relief, "I thought we'd never find it."

"Well," Brook began, "This is fortunate for us."

"Indeed," Robin agreed, nodding with a slight smile.

"So, this is the G-13 Base," Henley muttered, attempting to ease the tension. "I thought it'd be bigger. The Commander got the short end of the stick here."

***AHEM!***

Franky cleared his throat, managing to get the crew to look at him.

"So we found the place," He stated, "But what now? How are we gonna spring Luffy anyhow?"

"Running straight to the base with no plan is utter suicide," Zoro mused, looking in Henley's direction. "If the marines there are as smart as you say, then we can't act as we usually do."

"Of course you can't," The half-breed mused like it was an obvious fact, "Beau-Père won't give up Luffy so easily. Though..."

"You believe the marine who captured Luffy sent the Eternal Pose to us," Robin finished, taking Henley by surprise for a second.

"I guess trying to understand you at this point is moot," The redhead chuckled softly, "But yeah, it's as you say."

"Wait, why would he send it to us?" Chopper asked, "He's a marine and we're pirates."

"I guess he felt bad for arresting your captain."

"You guess?" Sanji repeated, looking down on the half-breed. "That's not going to cut it."

"Hey," Usopp interjected, looking at the half-breed. "That's not important right now. What matters right now is what we'll do once we dock at the base."

"It'll be fortified, of course," Henley reasoned, "And there are some ships that will take action if we try to escape. So, to keep that from happening, I'll go and sabotage them, mainly their cannons, rudders, helm decks, the works."

"And we're just gonna let you take care of them yourself?" Franky questioned, looking behind him. "How do we know you won't betray us for them?"

"Gee, let me think," Henley spoke in a deadpan manner, rolling his eyes. "Maybe because I have something called, I don't know, a conscious! If I were a total dick, I wouldn't have tried to help you or your captain with this mess I made."

"Doesn't excuse you for what you've done," The swordsman responded, "If we didn't need you, I'd send my sword straight for your neck."

"Well, good on you! Maybe I should die!" Henley crossed his arms, growling and creeping off to the side. "God knows how much pain I've caused to everyone since I've been alive..."

"Jesus Christ..." The liar shook his head in disapproval, "Can't we work out on what to do with this guy later?"

"Excuse me, Mr. Henley?" Brook called out, "Do you have something to live for?"

The half-breed looked a little dumbfounded for a minute. He wasn't used to being called by a stranger in a formal tone, let alone have his name used.

"W-What was the question?" He twiddled his fingers together, slightly embarrassed from being addressed in such a fashion.

"I asked if you have something to live for," The musician repeated.

"S-Sort of... But what does it matter? I've caused your captain trouble. There's no way-"

He stopped talking altogether, becoming as still as a mannequin, save for the blinking.

"M-Mr. Henley?"

"Running," Henley murmured, "Trouble. And... Something to live for?"

"Is there something wrong with you?" Chopper approached the redhead, tilting his head in curiosity.

"I-I think..." Henley pondered while walking to the railing. "If I sabotage the ships while... And in the commotion at the base, they'll come running... Yeah, that'll work!"

"Uhh, do you want to let us in on your... Whatevering?" Franky raised an eyebrow, still steering the ship.

"O-Okay, listen. I know you don't exactly trust me, but you'll have to right now. I'm the only one who can sabotage the marine battleships on those docks while you get inside the base."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Usopp queried, lifting an eyebrow.

"I'll just borrow some of their explosives and damage the rudders or make a hole in them. It'll shake them up and split the number of men that you'll have to fight."

"That makes sense," Robin visualized the plan, "But what about the layout of the base?"

"I got that taken care of!" Usopp jetted for the stairs, sliding on the rails and landing on the grassy deck with his nose. "OOF!"

Everyone who witnessed Usopp's little spill sweat-dropped. Yes, everyone, including Robin.

The liar picked himself up, dusting himself and muttering indiscernible obscenities. He entered the men's dorms and came out with his sniper goggles.

"Alright, let's see now," He examined the base's structure from afar, "There's a barrier with cannons inside the walls, a huge dome-like building in the middle, likely their main building. There's also... some kind of a prison building next to it. Lastly, I think... hmm. Hey, Franky!"

Usopp went upstairs to the helm deck and up to the cyborg.

"Franky, have the ship circle the island!" He ordered, "I wanna see some more things!"

"Okay!" He responded, following Usopp's instruction.

The Sunny circled the base and went to the other side of it. Usopp used his goggles to see there was an assortment of trees there, reminiscent to a jungle.

"And the other side looks like some kind of a jungle. But I can't tell if there are any marines looking around the place from here."

"It's likely so," Henley pointed out, "Beau-Père's traps are also likely to be there. He's thought of just about everything."

"There's also the fact that he's expecting us," Brook rose his cane, sliding it open to reveal his sword. He sheathed it in after a glance of the blade. "It's unlikely he will let us leave with Luffy without a fight."

"That's why we all have to be there," Usopp went behind the half-breed, "And why we have to trust this runt."

"There's no other choice, huh?" Zoro sighed, shaking his head.

"On the bright side," Henley muttered, "You won't have to deal with me once this is done. We save your captain, you can take me to the next island on your stop, and that's the end of it."

"Well, fine by me," The swordsman shrugged, "Beats listening to the witch for a change."

Nami slightly grimaced but said nothing about it, having accepted the hatred.

"Enough!" Sanji growled, "She's suffered enough, Moss-head! Quit it!"

"Huh," Zoro began to mock with a shit-eating grin, "I didn't know retarded cooks could have opinions."

"Are we going to keep talking about the plan," Chopper entered Heavy Point, cracking his newly-formed knuckles. "Or do you two want to see the opposite of what a chiropractor does?!"

The usual cat and dog antics of Zoro and Sanji were thankfully ceased, but not before they glared down on each other.

"Anyway," Henley regained the crew's attention, "Here's the rest of it all. After I've sabotaged the marine battleships, I'll join you guys at the walls of the base. I'll scale the walls with the reindeer, the cook, and Nico Robin. We'll knock out the marines inside and... Wait, there is a gate, right?"

"Oh, yeah, there is!" Usopp replied, "Sorry, I forgot to mention that!"

"Be more careful with info like that, man!" Franky scolded, "Luffy's life depends on all of this!"

"Alright, the gates will be open. Once you do that, all of you guys can go ham on the base. Anything to get the attention of Beau-Père's top men."

"Who?" Chopper asked, scratching his head.

"Top," Henley repeated, "Men. Beau-Père has three accomplished subordinates under his command. Whenever he's around, they're not far behind."

"These three subordinates," Robin pondered aloud, "Who are they?"

"Their names are Fixit, Seventy, and Scorcher," Henley explained, with silhouetted images of the three marines coming into view. "Fixit is the most skilled of the three, capable of creating machines, weapons, and repairing objects. His weapons of choice are silver batons, a black wrench with a strap, and two swords if he decides he needs them."

"Seventy, physically, is the strongest of the group. He's an excellent hunter when using bazookas and sniper rifles, but he prefers to fight with his fists sometimes. He's got some kind of a neck brace that covers his mouth, but I don't think it's for an injury.

"Finally, Scorcher is the demolitions expert, the literal wild card of the group. He's not the smartest, but that doesn't mean he's an easy enemy. He has two cannons on his shoulders that can fire nets, sometimes flamethrowers, and he's a strong boxer, only outclassed by the rest of the group."

"That's... an interesting group you described," The musician murmured, "It appears we have to fight all of them after all."

"I guess," Usopp rubbed his chin, "But what about Luffy? How are we going to help him?"

"That's where you come in, Nami," Henley spoke up, and all eyes went to her.

"W-What?!" Nami exclaimed, "Me?!"

"Yes, you," Henley nodded, "You have a cruelty streak that has affected your friends in a bad way. You also instigated Luffy's depression, in a way, despite the fact that I caused it."

"S-So?" Nami replied, looking away from the half-breed. "We're both guilty, then. What's your point?"

"The point is, if you want to help Luffy, then it's your job to rescue him alone. I think this plan can work if you-"

"ARE YOU SHITTING ME?!" Zoro bellowed, almost frightening the crew with his abruptness. "HER?!"

"Zoro, calm down!" Franky yelled, almost letting go of the steering wheel.

"She'll make it worse!" Zoro argued, pointing at the navigator. "She drove Luffy away!"

"That's one of the reasons she has to go!" Henley retorted, "Plus, there are other important, even strategic reasons why she should!"

"...No."

A lump in Henley's throat formed, driving him to make a small sound and look back to Nami.

"What?" He whispered in disbelief.

"N-No," Nami repeated, stammering. "I... I can't do it..."

"Nami, what do you mean?" Sanji slightly rose his arms, almost in a reflex.

"I... I can't help Luffy. I'm sorry, but I... can't..."

"Nami, I don't-"

"DON'T YOU GET IT?!" She suddenly shouted, clenching her fists. "I'LL JUST SCREW HIM UP AGAIN, OKAY?!"

Most of the crew was silent, taken aback by the recent outburst.

"You see?" Zoro gestured his hand to the young woman. "Even the bitch of this crew doesn't want to do anything. You know why?"

Nami looked away, head held down in shame as Henley and the rest of the crew scowled at the swordsman. His relentlessness in emotionally damaging Nami had gotten tiresome and pathetic. But that didn't stop them from listening to him further.

"It's simple," He proceeded to state, "It's because she knows she doesn't _deserve to be forgiven_."

The truth was harsh, but it always was. It was laid bare and taken in by everyone, slowly.

That was a valid point, and it appeared that no one was going to argue against that.

"...Five minutes."

"What?" Nami questioned, lifting her head up to see the half-breed in front of her.

"Maybe a little more than that," Henley guessed, "But that's how long I need to talk to you."

"W-Why?" Nami shifted, feeling uncomfortable. "There's no point. I can't be trusted with anything now."

"You'd be wrong there," The half-breed shook his head, "Let's talk in your dorm area. And bring along Nico Robin. You need a second opinion, anyway."

"If you insist," The archeologist began to walk to the stairs, leading Nami and insisting she follows her. "Come along, Nami."

"It's hopeless," Zoro continued affirming, "She'll never go through with it. Besides, she's a useless and weak fighter."

"You have little faith and imagination, Roronoa," Henley responded, "It's a wonder your captain trusted a meathead like you, but we all make mistakes. His, in particular, must've been trusting you and believing you could do no wrong."

"What did you say, you little shit...?!" The swordsman glared at the half-breed, gripping one of his swords and almost unsheathing it.

"Don't try to kill me over an assertion, especially when you know I'm right. If you were truly loyal to Straw Hat, you wouldn't have gone through with this. Shows how much he knows."

"He's not wrong there," Brook concurred, standing in between the two. "We've all made mistakes, too. Let's not make another one."

"Fine!" Zoro shoved Brook aside, then pushed Henley away from him as he walked down the steps. He continued walking until he got to the aquarium.

"Just know this one thing!" He shouted as he went away from the group, "If Luffy dies or if we don't save him, it's gonna be that little whore's fault! **Her fault and ours!**"

Zoro entered the aquarium and slammed the door behind him. The tension that lingered in most of the crew was slowly manifesting, just like Sanji's rage.

"Damn him!" The cook stomped on his cigarette, causing a crack on the floor. "Damn him to hell! I hope he kills him-!"

"**DON'T**," Henley muttered, grabbing his shoulder and stopping him from completing that thought. His eyes were shadowed as his hair flew in the wind. "**DON'T FINISH THAT THOUGHT. IT'S POINTLESS.**"

"B-But he-"

"**THERE'S ALREADY TOO MUCH HATE IN THIS WORLD. DON'T ADD TO IT. IT'S NOT WHO YOU ARE.**"

Henley lifted his head up to reveal his tired and somber expression. Sanji was briefly caught off guard by this creepy runt's change in demeanor until he was calmed by him.

"You're tired," He spoke normally and soothingly, "I'm tired, we're under pressure. But we can't be divided like this. If we give up, your captain can't try to achieve his dream."

"H-His dream?" Usopp stuttered for a bit, blinking slightly.

"Ace talked a lot about Luffy," Henley explained, "Especially about his dream. But it was obvious to figure that was his goal."

"Y-Yeah," Nami smiled sadly, "It was. We were supposed to take him to the One Piece."

"You can still do that," Henley took his hand off of Sanji, and went for the stairs. "But you don't feel like you should."

"After everything I did to him," Nami murmured, "There's no way I can face him."

"We'll see," The half-breed said, looking to the cook. "Give us some time. We'll change the plan if necessary. Just don't let the marines spot us."

"Got it," Sanji nodded as Brook took possession of the Eternal Pose from Nami.

Henley motioned for Nami and Robin to come along with him, and they did just that. They entered the girl's dorm and shut the door behind them.

"I hope that young man can convince Nami to take on this task," Brook whispered, "She has to."

"I don't like the idea," Sanji confessed, "But you're right."

Those still present on the helm deck looked out to the base. One way or another, they will have to face the marines there, and they will get their captain back. Whatever it takes...

XXX

The women's dorms in the Sunny was always very clean and had little clutter strewn in it. Henley could certainly tell that the place looked proper for a room on a pirate ship. The smell that his nose picked up was identical to plump cherries.

"Fresh scent," He said, sitting on a sofa. "This ship is a far cry from what pirate ships usually are."

"I'm glad for the compliment," Robin smiled, "But you didn't ask me and Nami in here so you could talk about fragrance and pirate vessels."

"I know," Henley nodded, "I just wanted to cut the tension from a few minutes ago."

"How's that working out for you so far?" Nami sighed, covering her eyes with Luffy's hat.

"It could be better," Henley joked, at least until his expression hardened. "You know, you're aren't exactly easy to read. One minute, you're predictable, but the next, you're not."

The navigator kept quiet, even looking away from the creepy runt.

"I'm not saying that in a bad way. It's good that you're unpredictable. That's one of the reasons why you have to go along with this."

"I'm not unpredictable," Nami mumbled, "I'm just a wreck. I just told you why I can't help him."

"I get that," Henley understood, resting his head against the comfy chair. "I know where you're coming from. I screw up all the time and I've been doubting myself a lot."

Henley aimlessly let his eyes wander around the room, searching for more words to say.

"I've done... Some bad things... I haven't gotten anyone killed, but I guess that's not going to last long... With my record, anyway."

"You sound like you've had a hard life," Robin analyzed, "You continue to break the tension with a sense of humor, just so you can hide your own pain."

"Well, it's not about me. It's about her."

Henley sent his eyes on Nami, who shifted a little from being stared at.

"Look," Nami told, "If Luffy sees me show up, he's not going to want to be rescued. I made things worse by being who I am, and he feels like he doesn't want to be forgiven."

"Because he made you cry and because he hit you on accident, I know."

"Then why are you still insistent?!" Nami fiercely questioned, throwing the straw hat to the floor. "I've told you that I can't do it!"

"That's not true," Henley shook his head, standing up. "You can because you care about him, even more than you think."

"Henley's actually correct on this point, Nami." The archeologist stated, "Whenever he was around, you feel assured."

"Robin..." Nami uttered, almost tired of this gesture she's trying to make. "Just quit it...!"

"There's also the fact he cares about you," Henley raised his index finger, "Since he apologized for giving you that black eye."

"He felt guilty for it, that's all!" Nami argued, "I ran to him, trying to keep him from leaving, but on a reflex, he hit me! He felt guilty because...! B-Because..."

"Because Luffy felt solely responsible for everything that happened to you," Robin concluded, "First, when Shiki kidnapped you, Luffy blamed himself. Second, when you had left a message, he perceived it as you losing faith in him. Third, when you threw that message in the ocean, preventing Luffy from hearing the end of it, he felt that you no longer trusted him, setting the tone for the next few days."

"And then along came me," Henley raised his hand, "And I opened him up to a terrible, harsh view of the world. My former viewpoint."

"Then each of has made Luffy's condition worse, even when we had no intentions to. The last straw came when Luffy learned that we all lied to him about the theft of the Jolly Roger."

"Was that supposed to help me in some way?" Nami pondered, "Because it just shows why I shouldn't be a hundred yards within him."

"Nami, it started with you," Robin pointed out, "If you can clear up the events with Shiki for him, if you can convince Luffy that none of this is his fault, if you can get him to continue his dream, then he'll be more willing to come back."

"But I can't. I can't do it...!"

"Don't talk like that!" Henley demanded, almost moving to clutch her shoulders with his hands. He controlled himself, looking away in shame. "I'm sorry for that, but honestly, what makes you say that 'You can't do it?' Luffy wanted you in this crew. He wanted a one of a kind navigator, and he elected you!"

"A one of a kind navigator doesn't mean a strong navigator..."

"Nami, I don't think he chose you for your strength," Robin stated, "He chose you because you were talented."

"But Zoro said..."

"Whatever Zoro says doesn't matter!" The archeologist yelled, grabbing Nami's shoulders, taking her by surprise. "Even if you don't have the same amount of strength he does, you are smarter than him! Don't take his insults to heart! They're just words!"

The navigator couldn't do much, save for blinking.

"She's got a point," Henley muttered, "You can't just let Zoro walk over you like that. And you can't let Luffy say that you can't do a thing to help him. You have to."

"I..." Nami's gaze went to the half-breed, somehow regaining the ability to speak. "I... I don't think..."

"What's it going to take, Nami?" Robin begrudgingly let Nami go, "What will it take for you to go and save Luffy?"

"Robin," Nami began, "Even if I want to save him, how can I go inside that prison complex and fight all the guards in there?"

"You don't have to fight all of them. You can sneak past them and get to Luffy's cell. Just find the keys to it and set him free, preferably after setting him straight."

"But what if-"

"Forget about the things that could happen!" Henley raised his voice, "If you just do them, it'll be fine!"

"But I can't do things that way!" Nami retorted, "If something goes wrong, then it's on me! I don't want to do something that'll cause Luffy's death!"

"Beau-Pére would never allow that to happen," Henley replied, "Besides, even if he were ordered to kill, he would find another way."

"Finding another way is what I'm trying to do! That way, Luffy won't have to be crummy when I'm around!"

"If you're not anywhere within his line of sight, he won't want to be saved. You have to do this."

"But I'll just end up hurting him again! That's all I've done to him since I joined!"

***SLAP!***

Nami jerked back from the impact of Robin's hand, feeling the stinging pain on her left cheek. She looked at the archeologist, who's expression was colder than metal.

Henley saw what had happened, and his face almost turned pale.

"That's enough of that talk," She said, sick of the grueling chore.

"R-Robin...?" Nami meekly called out in disbelief.

"You are more than a navigator," Robin sternly told her, "You are a pirate. You are acting like a child who has given up when you haven't even run your race."

The mood turned tense fast. Nami couldn't find the courage to talk back, and Henley didn't dare to interfere. Not out of fear, but because he wanted to see how this unfolds.

"I know that you can help Luffy," The archeologist continued, "But not if you keep acting the way you do. You need to remember how instrumental your role as a navigator is."

"M-My role...?" Nami repeated, rubbing where she was slapped.

"That's right," Robin nodded, "You don't just plot the course, you are capable of detecting when a storm comes. You have an amazing sense of what's going to happen just from feeling a change in the atmosphere."

"W-Well, that's true, but-"

"You rely on skill and wits, not strength. While you are just as much a coward as Usopp, you won't hesitate to stand your ground. And it's true that you are greedy, seeking opportunities to gain more wealth, but at least you aren't like most men with greedy hearts."

"Not like most, huh," Henley murmured, crossing his arms in contemplation.

"Robin, listen," Nami finally spoke, "I know you think I should do this, but Luffy won't trust me with his life this time. I've betrayed his trust before, so he'll think that I'll do it again."

"You have regrets for doing those things, don't you?" Robin queried, to which the navigator nodded her head. "If you're sorry, then tell him yourself. We can't do that for you."

"He lost his will to live," The brighter redhead said, "By now, he thinks his dream isn't worth a damn. But you can prove him wrong. Show him that they're important and get him out of that prison."

"His dream..." Nami turned her eyes to Luffy's hat, still laying on the floor. She proceeded to pick it up, holding the brim.

"Well, what do you say?" Henley asked, "Wanna save your captain?"

Taking a deep breath, the navigator placed the hat on her head.

"Let's do it," She affirmed, clenching her fist and bringing it to her chest.

"Nami," Robin smiled, seeing her ally's newfound resolve.

"Let me cut to the chase," Henley informed, though he couldn't help but smile. "You'll be sneaking into the G-13 Base through the side alone, ahead of the rest of the crew. They'll wait for a couple of minutes before going to the front, taking the long way around. We want the marines to think we're careless, but we're distracting all of them so you can sneak in to save Luffy."

"If I go in the next few minutes, I can save some time," Nami thought, "I can take the Waver and sneak inside the base."

"Wait, a what?" Henley became confused, lifting an eyebrow.

"You can do that," Robin agreed, "But how can you sneak inside the base with the tall walls?"

"They have cannons, right?" Nami began to walk to the door, "They must need room to change their own trajectory."

"Even if they do, you can't scale the walls by yourself. You'll need one of Usopp's inventions to do so. I'll convince him to let you use it, on the off chance he refuses to help you."

"Don't worry too much if he doesn't help, Nami," Henley slammed his fist to his chest with gusto, "I'll go with you and sneak you inside. I've got lots of stuff to do for the plan to work, anyway."

"Thanks, Henley," Nami bowed in gratitude, before doing the same to Robin. "And thank you too, Robin."

"No trouble at all," The archeologist opened the door outside, with Henley following her.

Nami was close to exiting with them, but she halted, moving back to look at her reflection in the mirror.

'Luffy,' Her thoughts echoed in her mind, 'I don't want you to forgive me for all that's happened. I don't even want you to pretend that nothing happened. All I want...'

Her hands trembled and her breath slightly quivered. She calmed herself by clenching her hands into fists and finishing her thought out loud.

"All I want is for you to be the Pirate King, _without me_ in your life. I hope you'll be happier that way."

XXX

Meanwhile, at the G-13 Base...

"I take it you were successful in capturing Monkey D. Luffy, Commander Beau-Père?"

The voice on the Transponder Snail is revealed to be Fleet Admiral Sengoku, speaking as cordial as ever.

"Yes, sir," Beau-Père responded, "I have succeeded."

"Good, good," The Fleet Admiral concealed his satisfaction, "That's one less pirate causing trouble for us. Now then, Commander, when you bring 'Straw Hat' to Marineford, you will receive a promotion. Your rank will be brought up to-"

"Actually, sir?" Beau-Père began to ask, interrupting Sengoku.

"...What is it, Commander?"

"I wish to know something, sir. I assume you are asking me to bring the pirate to Marineford for an execution."

"...That's right, Commander. Is that a problem?"

"You tell me, _sir_," Beau-Père addressed, almost sarcastically. "How exactly is his grandfather, who is a Vice Admiral, alright with this?!"

"Actually, he's not. But he'll understand that this is a necessary act."

"Necessary?! This boy isn't even an adult yet! You're talking about executing someone who's still in his teens!"

"He's a pirate, all the same! But that shouldn't matter to you! You're doing your job!"

"Yeah," The Commander uttered with disdain, "_I'm so proud of it. _The Straw Hats will come for him, whether or not they know what's happening."

"Quit talking in that tone!" Sengoku ordered, "You're treading on thin ice, Commander!"

"Perhaps I am! Sir, there is something wrong with what you're beginning to do!"

"On the contrary, I believe. I'm scheduling the execution of Dragon's son, reassuring the people that the marines are strong enough without resorting to the Seven Warlords."

"It's all just a traditional show for power, isn't it?"

"You're getting the chance to be better than you are now. I would think you'd be more thrilled."

Beau-Père didn't bother to speak back. He was too angry to try and refute Sengoku's assertions.

"It doesn't matter," He murmured, "But you have a point, Commander. Here are your new orders. You have two weeks' time to bring Straw Hat to Marineford, where he will immediately be executed. And if the Straw Hat Pirates try to rescue their captain, then kill them."

"S-Sir?!"

"You heard me, Beau-Père," The Fleet Admiral replied, "This is also necessary. They have caused us no end of trouble. They attacked Gecko Moria and made us look bad by defeating Shiki!"

"Sir, I'm sure they were doing what was right at the time! At least, with Shiki! He fled, yes, but it was better than the alternative!"

"I DIDN'T ASSIGN YOU TO CAPTURE STRAW HAT LUFFY SO I COULD HEAR YOUR INSIGNIFICANT OPINIONS, COMMANDER!"

Beau-Père went deaf silent. He faced outbursts from Sengoku before, but not like this.

"Sir, I'm sorry," He apologized, "I spoke out of turn."

"Commander," The voice from the other line began, "I know that you want to hold onto your personal ideals. But when the time comes, you'll have to take a life."

"But, sir-!"

"I know, you don't want to. I didn't want to either when I was around your age. But it wasn't possible for me, and in the end, I had no other choice."

"That is... hard to believe..."

"It doesn't matter at this point, Commander. But you do have a choice. Will you kill the Straw Hat Pirates when they come, or will you not, and risk endangering the entire world? And before you say that they wouldn't do that, let me ask: how would you know that?

"Well..."

"It's simple," Sengoku answered, "You don't. They're still pirates, and at least two of them have taken a human life before."

"Roronoa Zoro and Nico Robin..." The commander mumbled, parting his eyes.

"I hope that you can make the right one, Beau-Père. It would prevent children from being orphaned... Goodbye."

The other line disconnected, leaving only a humming tone behind.

"He had to say that...!" Beau-Père spat, returning the receiver to its proper place. "Knowing what has happened to me, expecting me to go down that road...!"

He slammed his fists on his table, causing some papers to scatter across the office.

"Why...! Why does it have to be like this?!"

Beau-Père hung his head down, grinding his teeth together. He knew that this night, the Straw Hats would come.

He couldn't waste any time. He has to prepare.

Either the Straw Hat Pirates would take back their captain, or they would all perish, and the choice to let live or let die rests in his hands.

But little did he know, someone else would come to break out a pirate, and it's not Luffy he seeks...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	19. Ch 18- Breaking In

**Chapter 18- Breaking In**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Beau-Père, Wonderland Island, Noppera Spark, Silvios, Neko Beckett, and the G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

The Thousand Sunny was quietly sailing around the G-13 Base, careful to avoid the spotlights. The ship moved with the waves until it found a large slab of stone to hide behind.

"Drop the anchors, now!" Brook whispered, and Chopper and Henley dropped the anchor on one side of the ship, while Zoro and Franky did the same with the other.

Below the Sunny, the anchors sank all the way to the bottom, effectively stopping the ship from drifting.

"Alright," Chopper spoke up, "This rock should keep us hidden, for now."

"Once Nami and the creepy runt get to the base," Franky's voice echoed across the helm deck, "They'll get rid of those spotlights in front of us, and we'll follow them to the stronghold."

"Where's that bitch, anyway?" Zoro scoffed, crossing his arms and looking to Henley. "She should be here with your worthless hide."

"For your information," The half-breed replied, "She's going to use a 'waver,' whatever that is, to get to the base."

"Since she doesn't want to depend on someone who can turn into a spider," The musician quipped, "That would make sense."

"Hey, I chose this power for good reason!" Henley shot back, miffed. "It's not like I wanted to creep out anybody that I would ally with."

"Right," The cyborg muttered, walking to the steering wheel. "Anyway, I've gotta open the Soldier Dock System so she can go."

'Maybe,' Zoro thought to himself, 'When Luffy's safe, we'll get lucky and the little bitch gets killed at the end of it. God knows she doesn't have the spine to do it herself.'

"So are we going to have to figure out how to scale the barrier?" Sanji asked, stomping on the cigarette he dropped.

"Leave that to me," The bright redhead assured, "I carry you, Nico Robin, and the reindeer to the barrier inside. But, I'll do it after I lure Beau-Père out of the base. He's too strong for you to deal with."

"And how are you gonna do that?!" Usopp questioned, almost popping a vessel from Henley's _slight_ adjustment of the plan.

"Just let me handle it. Anyway, I'll join those three and help them open the drawbridge and take out the cannons. And you guys can do what you do best, beat the crap out of everybody."

"This better work, runt," Zoro glowered at their guest, "If this doesn't work, I'll cut your tongue before I bite the dust."

"I get the picture, buddy. It'll work."

'But if it doesn't,' He silently spoke mentally, 'I have to run for it. There's no way I'm gonna die when they need me back at Wonderland Island.'

XXX

Inside the Soldier Dock System...

Nami knew that she accepted a grueling task. However, she wasn't going to let someone else take the weight she deserved to carry. She took a deep breath and walked over to White Rocking Horse I.

"So, I'll be going in with the waver," She said to Usopp and Robin, "And just the Clima-Tact, along with Henley. We'll get rid of the spotlights on this side of the island so the Sunny can dock along the coast."

"And when you've done that," Usopp chimed in, "You two will scale the walls of that place. Then, you'll sneak into the detention center as Henley heads off to sabotage the marine battleships."

"The rest of us will take care of the defenses of those walls and keep the marines busy," Robin finished, "At least until you get Luffy back."

"Assuming you don't screw him up again," Usopp muttered to himself, earning a glare from Robin.

"Robin, it's fine," Nami gestured her to stop, "It's not like I don't deserve this. But I promise I'll bring him back."

Then, Nami jumped aboard the Rocking Horse, ready to go.

"Alright, I guess this is goodbye."

"For now," Robin uttered.

"Who knows?" Nami joylessly looked to the side, clutching the handle of the waver. "**Who knows anymore?**"

As the large door in front of her opened up, her demeanor became apathetic. She started up the waver and rode it out of Channel One, traversing along the ocean water.

Robin stared at the departing navigator, glum from her response. Sadness turned to disappointment when she shot daggers at Usopp.

"When she comes back," She stoically spat, "You _will _apologize to her. You _and _Zoro."

"W-Why should I?" The sniper questioned, "She said it herself, she deserves this. Besides, she shouldn't be here anymore."

"She deserves a chance to redeem herself," The archeologist calmly argued, "The same chance that you got."

"W-Well," Usopp stammered, "T-That was different! I was out of line with Luffy, but she went further than I did!"

"Everyone aboard this ship, except for Chopper and Brook, crossed a line. I did, you did, and she did. If you think you can lessen the blame off of yourself, then perhaps _**you**_ shouldn't be here, don't you think so?"

Before Usopp could retort, Robin briskly went on her way back to the top of the deck.

XXX

Outside...

"Mr. Henley," Brook called out, "Ms. Nami's out. You should go."

"Thank you, sir," Henley nodded and prepared to jump. However, before he could go...

"One question, first," Brook asked, making the half-breed turn around. "Are you sure this will work? Sending Nami to save Luffy, I mean."

"Not really," Henley admitted, "But I have hope that it will work."

"At least you're honest," The musician tipped his blue tricorn hat to the young man, "More honest than this crew, at this moment."

"Sky Walk!" The bright redhead jumped from the ship and kicked up some air, hopping to the sea level. At an impressive speed, he caught up to the navigator. "Ready?"

"Let's go," Nami nodded as she and her ally raced in the dark atmosphere, heading to the shoreline.

XXX

Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, in the ocean...

A silhouetted, strange figure was swimming to the coast of the base. He raised his oddly-shaped head as if he was looking around. When he felt secure, he crawled up to the sand, and stood on his multiple tentacles.

His appearance looked very well like a jellyfish, having multiple maroon-colored tentacles for legs and using two for arms. The top of his head was a mauve jellyfish bell with two bright purple stripes traveling on the dome. As for his lavender hair, it hanged under the bell, covering his face.

He is wearing a blue yutaka with black roses imprinted all over and a black belt. A red sun tattoo can be seen in the middle of his chest, besides the fact the yutaka is covering up most of it. He firmly grasped his stick, unsheathing it to reveal a blade.

NOPPERA SPARK. FORMER SURGEON AND SWORDSMAN OF THE SUN PIRATES. (PURPLE-STRIPED JELLYFISH MERMAN.)

He began to scurry into the forest, but before he could, he noticed two figures coming behind him from the sea. He drew the sword at those figures but lowered them when he realized they were fish-men.

The first man's skin was gray, he possessed fish-like eyes, his ears were pointed, and his face was slightly chubby. His head was shaven and was bleached blonde. He wore an orange hoodie with an agape mouth displaying sharp teeth in the middle, as well as blue jeans and brown sandals.

The first most distinguishing feature was his six long, inclined fangs sticking out of his mouth from his lower jaw. The other feature he has is a turquoise light dangling from his forehead, which is connected to his head.

SILVIOS. ARLONG PIRATES FANATIC. (ANGLERFISH FISH-MAN.)

As for the other one, he was wearing a cool gray, sleeveless shirt with a white cat's face embedded on it, along with bronze yellow cargo shorts. The cat had green eyes, a pink nose, and it was sticking its tongue out. Strapped to his waist was a black sheathed ninja sword. He had cat claw-like attachments, curved finger knives at the ends of each finger on his hands.

He had taupe-colored skin, brown lips, and his fin was seen from his shirt. He had black facial hair that was identical to a catfish and he was bald, save for multiple strands of hair sticking out all over. His nose was practically nonexistent, leaving only two nasal holes.

NEKO BECKETT. ANOTHER ARLONG PIRATES FANATIC. (CATFISH FISH-MAN.)

Noppera Spark put his weapon back in its place and crossed his arms in disapproval.

"Okay," Beckett was the first to speak up, "You're probably wondering why we're here and not back at our ship, right?"

The jellyfish merman didn't reply, but motioned for the two to leave.

"Look, Bell-head," Silvios crossed his arms, "Just because you and Arlong were all buddy-buddy, that doesn't mean you should bust him out by yourself. I should be the one who could do it."

"You?!" Beckett exclaimed, "Look at that light of yours! You won't be able to get within ten feet of that place with that thing glowing! A sneaky warrior like me should go! Then, Arlong will have to take me in his crew!"

Suddenly, Noppera grabbed the two with his tentacle arms and slightly stung them both. The pain was minor, but it hurt them enough to make them quiet.

"Word of advice," He softly told the two, "You are _leagues_ beneath my power. You can either leave or stay at your risk. But stay out of my way and don't get caught. If you become _expendable_..."

"O-Okay, we get it!" Silvios and Beckett raised their hands back and forth in a panic, "We'll shut up!"

Noppera shoved the two back into the ocean water and moved for the base.

'The plan has become complicated,' He mused internally, 'There can be no room for _error _this time. I sincerely hope _his _plan is _foolproof_. If not, that _human's brain_ will be _lobotomized_.'

Behind him, the two fish-men came up from the water. They followed Noppera into the forest part of the base.

"Geez," Silvios muttered, "What crawled up his ass?"

"He's got every right to be tense, you know," Beckett explained, "He was in the same crew as Arlong was in until they went their separate ways. And when he got caught, Noppera tried to bust Arlong out, but his plans were no good."

"And now we're forced to get help from a human to bring our boss back," The anglerfish fish-man finished, "Why does he even want to help, anyway?"

"Maybe he needs him?" Beckett suggested, "I mean, when you're a former associate of one of the Seven Warlords, Jimbei, then you need that kind of muscle."

"Maybe, but I don't trust him. He's a smart human, too smart to help us out of charity."

"Well, that's why I like him. He's smart."

"I thought it was because he gave you those finger knives?"

"W-Well," The bearded fish-man stuttered, "Okay, maybe that, too."

Just then, Noppera Spark turned around in succession, halting the two chatterboxes. He slowly unsheathed the sword in the stick, forcing them to keep quiet. When he was sure they would stay silent, he sheathed it back in and moved on.

'Must I be plagued with idiotic fanatics?' He mentally questioned.

XXX

Meanwhile, on the coast...

Nami and Henley have made it to the beachside of the base. Upon arrival, Henley utilized his Devil Fruit, the Arachnid-Arachnid Fruit: Model Comb-foot, to grow four spider legs out of his back.

"I'll take care of this tower," He said to the navigator, "You hid that thing for now."

"Y-Yeah," Nami replied, slightly disturbed by the other redhead's extra eyes on his face. She put the image aside as she took the White Rocking Horse I and hid it behind a bush. Making sure she could remember where it was, Nami grabbed a small handful of seashells and put them in a small pile next to the bush.

'There,' She thought, 'Four seashells, better remember this.'

As she did that, Henley used his spider legs to climb up the wooden watchtower. When he was a few feet below the marines above him, he pulled out a grenade and twisted the knob, releasing a blue cloud of smoke.

"Chemistro Grenade: Sleep!" Henley sent the grenade into the tower, forcing the marines up there to fall into a deep slumber.

Next, Henley crawled over to the spotlight and jabbed one of his spider legs into it, putting it out of commission. For good measure, he shot webs on the knocked out marines, making sure they couldn't get up.

"Cobweb Line!" The eight-limbed boy shot a line of web at the underside of the tower and used it to descend down to the bottom. "What do you think?" He grinned at Nami.

"I think," She began to snark, "I should've bought some bug repellant from the last island."

"Well, everyone's a critic," Henley chuckled, landing on the sand with his two normal feet. "Let's split up for now. We need to cut off all the spotlights on this part of the base so your crew doesn't get seen."

"Got it," Nami went off the opposite direction as the half-breed, who began scurrying on the ground quietly with his other legs.

Over in the next tower, a marine was using a spotlight to look out to the sea. He was too busy looking out there, he didn't notice Nami sneak up behind him with her Clima-Tact.

"Thunder Charge," She murmured as the tip of her weapon sparkled with electricity.

"Cobweb Maiden!" In another tower, Henley was wrapping a marine up with webs, covering his mouth and binding his arm and legs.

"MMMPH!" The marine tried to scream, to no avail as the intruder lightly tapped him, making him fall.

The two lathered, rinsed, and repeated this process with a few more guard towers until they were sure this was enough. Then, they met up back at the first tower that was taken out.

"I think this is about as good as we're going to get," The navigator stated, "We should get to the base right now."

"Yeah," Henley nodded, "I think it's time."

XXX

Back aboard the Sunny...

"Well," Brook spoke up, finished with his cup of tea. "It has been a few minutes since they left."

"In that case," Robin walked up to the helm deck, "I believe we can go."

"How do we know they took out the spotlights?" Zoro questioned, "What if they still haven't gotten rid of them?"

"Only one way to find out," Franky took control of the helm, "Let's weigh anchor."

The anchors were raised and the ship drifted out from behind the large rock. It turned at the behest of the crew, into the darkness. From their view, there aren't any lights as far as they could see.

"They did it!" Chopper quietly cheered, "We won't get caught now!"

"Tch," The swordsman clicked his tongue, "Anything can still go wrong. It's not like they saved Luffy yet."

"Will you cut it out, Moss-head?" Sanji demanded, "No cares what you think."

"I would like to remind everybody why we're here," Usopp chimed in, wearing a satchel over his collared blue shirt. "So can we please focus on that?"

XXX

Nami and Henley slowly walked through the forest, taking care in hiding from patrolling marines and stepping over pressure plates strewn on the ground.

"Having a special sense really helps out, doesn't it?" Henley whispered, using his extra legs to walk over the plates.

"I guess," Nami replied, jumping to a tree and using the momentum to leap over the traps. "These guys must know their way around the place since they haven't stepped into any traps."

"Yep," The half-breed agreed, morphing to his normal form. "And if they know their way around, that means we can follow one of them to the base."

"Okay," Nami hid behind a tree to avoid a marine's flashlight, "But how do we know one of these guys are going to go there?"

"Alright!" A marine muttered drowsily, "The first watch is over!"

"Good for you, pal," Another marine's voice could be heard, "I'm stuck guarding this spot all night, cause of you-know-who."

"Well, that's why you don't beat the prisoners! Especially not the new arrival!"

"Whatever," The thin mustached marine muttered, "Cocky little punk had it coming."

The tired marine walked on, leaving his fellow soldier behind. When they went their separate ways, Henley gestured Nami to follow him. She complied.

Sneaking through the forest very tough, mainly due to there being little bushes to hide in. Besides that, the trees can provide cover, but the defense is remedied by walking around them.

Soon, something happened that almost compromised them both.

***SNAP!***

Nami had accidentally stepped on a stray stick and broke it in half. Henley was slightly startled by the sound, and as for the marine they were following...

"WHODID?!" He woke up and raised his hands in a chopping motion, walking backwards. After looking around in a paranoid manner, he calmed himself down.

"What am I saying?" He said to himself, "I'm just so tired, I thought someone was stalking me. But no one would come here. We're totally secure." He walked on, feeling better about himself.

Little did he know, he was being watched from above, mainly by Henley, in his hybrid form, holding Nami by her waist and clasping her mouth closed.

"Phew, okay," Henley breathed, looking at Nami with his eyes. "Listen, we'll keep following him, but no more sticking to the ground. I'll let your mouth go, but don't freak out. Okay?"

Nami nodded, mumbling in reply.

The arachnid redhead released Nami's mouth, and she breathed out a small sigh.

"You are still creepy," She murmured, "But I'm not actually afraid of you this time."

"Well, that's a good thing, isn't it?"

The navigator wondered as Henley carried her through in the trees, moving from branch to branch.

'Strange,' Nami uttered in her head, 'I feel like this could be my last night in this world. It might as well be, but... I don't feel afraid. I'm not afraid of _dying _anymore.'

Her mind wandered through the barely visible green leaves and brown bark coupled to the ground.

'Maybe it's because... The thought of death means nothing to me. Nothing when compared to losing Luffy forever... Maybe that's it?'

She shook her head, unsure of her answer.

'I-I mean, I'm still a _little _disgusted, sure, but not as much as I should be. I'm so used to it, it's not... Gross to me at all. But that's not the point. The point is, I don't want anything else to happen to Luffy. I do care about him, but isn't it because I feel guilty? Because I put him in another terrible position?'

It all dawned on her. The way she continued to worry about her captain, how she always felt safe whenever he was around, and how she _felt _about him. She admired his bravery, his willingness to go to any lengths for someone like her, and how much he valued his own dream. Sure, it almost felt cliché, but she actually liked other qualities he possessed.

Aside from Luffy having such amazing strength, he has some kind of magnetism, which draws in people, danger, and even inspires courage. He's sometimes selfish, but he can act extremely selfless when the situation gets dire. On top of that, he has the brightest smile she's ever seen on a person.

It all became crystal clear in her eyes: _**She has feelings for Luffy.**_

Her heart rate accelerated and her cheeks almost went bright red from the realization. But besides that, she found out the reason she became adamant about saving him, personally.

Because she cares about him, she's willing to die for him.

"Oh my god," She softly emitted in awareness, "I... I feel _that _much for him...?"

"There!" Henley's voice took her off guard, "We're here!"

Nami looked right in front of her, and she saw the back of a dome building, along with the detention center, surrounded by a barrier and a moat.

"This is where you get off," The bright redhead quipped, before letting his spider legs allow the two to jump in midair.

"Moonwalk Jumping Spider!" Henley took his passenger up to the wall and stuck to it. He began to leap over it, but not before finding an opening to jump past the marines without getting seen.

"Okay, Nami," He instructed while climbing down to the ground with her, "Luffy is in that building with the bars. All you have to do is sneak in and get him to come back."

"And then what?" Nami questioned, "Just turn tail and run?"

"You might not have any choice but to run. These marines were persistent in taking Luffy, they're stronger than me, I think, and lastly, we're not trying to pick a fight with them."

"You do know we'll have to fight our way out no matter what, right?"

"Well, yeah," Henley admitted, "But still, these guys... Their hearts are good. I wouldn't want them killed."

"If they're all strong, then they can take whatever the crew can throw at him."

"Anyway, the bars are made of Sea-Prism Stone, really indestructible stuff. Also, if I try to break open the roof of that place, the marines will be on us in an instant. So, you'll have to sneak in there the old-fashioned way, through the front door."

"Maybe I can sneak inside when the others cause a disturbance outside?"

"That could work. But you could also run into a bunch of guards. Be ready for anything."

"I find Luffy's cell, and get the keys to it. And once that's done, we run."

"Fingers crossed hoping this works, good luck," Henley dropped Nami off, hanging a few feet above the ground.

As Henley allowed his legs to carry him along the walls, over to the other side, Nami ran for a stack of boxes and hid from a few marines walking in formation.

Her eyes were on the prison her captain resides in. She pulled out her weapon and gripped it as possible.

'Luffy,' She thought, 'What I've done when Shiki almost killed you, what I had to do to keep you alive, it's because I cared about you. And, well, I guess I wanted to think of you as something more than a crewmember, more than a navigator. I honestly don't know if that's my answer, but...'

She gazed at the entrance to the detention center with great intensity.

'But I realized I cared about you more than I originally believed I did. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, but this doesn't look like something I can deny this time.'

Her black eye slightly hurt from staring out, but the sting failed to register to her mind.

'The way I see you, it felt like simple attraction, but... It feels more meaningful than that. So... Did you...?'

Her good eye twitched, making her wear an unsure expression.

'Did you actually... _Were _you... Feeling the same for someone like _me_?'

Nami quietly sighed, careful to keep her noise at a minimum.

'No... That's probably unimportant. Besides, any chance I have with you, I spat in your face and ruined it all.'

Nami's mind was filled with images of Luffy. From his declaration of friendship above the ruins of Arlong Park, to the same boy, smiling while laying on a cloud. From the ridiculous captain dancing with chopsticks in his nose and mouth, to him glaring at a levitating Shiki, while wearing a red collared shirt with a black tie. The final image that appeared was the captain wearing his bright smile.

'Luffy, I hope you know how much I cared about you when I'm gone. I also hope you can keep going and become the Pirate King. Because now, more than ever... I'm ready... No...'

She adjusted the straw hat, letting the shadow cover part of her already concealed face.

'_**I AM WILLING TO DIE FOR YOU.**_'

At this moment, 'Cat Burglar' Nami's heart was no longer filled with uncertainty, but confidence. She vowed she would bring her captain back, and intended to keep that promise.

XXX

Meanwhile, along the beach of the base...

The other Straw Hats were quickly running around the forest, following the sand. The guard towers were a little troubling, but each member stopped to take down the marines looking around inside.

"That's another one," Sanji told the group, jumping off of the ladder of a tower. "Let's keep going."

"This is stupid," Usopp muttered, "Why are we going around the island just to get into the base?"

"We don't know if going straight into the forest will take us to the base, Usopp," Brook pointed out, running along the beach once more. "Besides, you and other certain crewmembers aren't as quiet and cautious as Nami, Sanji, Robin, or Mr. Henley. There could be guards out."

"You have a lot of faith in that creepy runt, Skeleton-bro," Franky noticed, catching up. "It's like you took a shining to him."

"He's actually an honest young man, Franky," The musician retorted, "But then again, you, and the others, _were _honest too."

"Okay, listen here!" The cyborg slightly raised his voice, "I get you're mad, but you weren't there! You don't have the right to be angry!"

"Would you quit it?!" Chopper hissed, running in Walk Point form. "We shouldn't keep tearing each other apart like this! If we keep arguing, Luffy might not want to come back!"

"He's right!" Robin agreed, "We can't let ourselves be distracted by this kind of talk!"

"Very well," Brook conceded, "But I'm only restraining my voice for him, not because I want to."

"Ditto," Franky responded, and the crew kept on running.

Further down the beach, they could see multiple marine battleships lined up. They had made it to the docking bay of the base. Which meant they were getting closer to the central buildings.

"We're getting closer," Sanji panted, "Just a few more yards."

"Wait, wait!" Usopp quietly shouted, forcing the crew to slow down. "A few more guards there!"

"I'll handle this," Brook sped ahead of the group, unsheathing his cane sword and pulling a violin out of his coat. He stopped right in front of the startled marines.

"Lullaby Parry!" He strummed the violin with his sword and played a soothing tone, forcing the marines to fall to sleep.

"Cool, Brook!" Chopper complimented, dashing up to him. "You took them down!"

"Yes, but not for long," Brook placed his sword back inside the cane and put the violin away, "Not that it will make any difference when we arrive at the main building."

"Come on!" The cook motioned as he and the others ran past the two, "Not too far now!"

He was right. It only took them a few minutes to arrive at the outside, though they did have to hide from some marines. The Straw Hats that weren't needed to scale the barrier hid in an outpost. The marines inside the small space weren't any trouble.

"We should be alright here, for now," Franky stated, holding an unconscious marine in his hand.

"Luffy is just beyond these walls," Zoro whispered, eying Sanji, Robin, and Chopper sneaking along the trail to the base. "That runt better be here."

"Speak of the devil," The sniper mumbled, seeing the half-breed creepily scurry down from a gap in the barrier. "There he is."

"Well, I can see exactly why you would be spooked by him," Brook looked out the window, "Possibly the same reason for me."

At the moat, Sanji, Robin, and Chopper had arrived at the moat. Due to the spotlights checking the ground surrounding the trench of water, they couldn't risk getting close.

"No good," The archaeologist's eyes followed the lights closely, "Unless the young man gets down here quick, we'll have made it up here for nothing."

"Wait, here he comes," Chopper saw their ally arrive from above, using his extra legs.

"Okay, I'm coming to you guys now," The redhead whispered, beginning to jump from the walls and past the discernable gap. He successfully made the bound and started carrying all three of them at once.

As the cook and Robin were lifted by their waists, the doctor tightly held on to Henley's head.

"Here we go again," Henley muttered, leaping from the ground and to the barrier. Once he stuck the landing, he climbed up to the space he crawled out of.

'Wow,' The doctor uttered in his thoughts, 'This guy's jumping ability is something. It's probably greater than my Jumping Point.'

When they got it inside the large walls, Henley took them up to the ceiling.

"What are you doing?" Sanji bitterly questioned, "Aren't you going to let us down?"

"Wait for it..." Henley mumbled, seeing some marines go up to the drawbridge cranks and turn them.

"Oh, that's why," Chopper whispered, resting his chin on top of Henley's head. "You got the commander to leave."

'T-This is not how I pictured this...' He thought, looking up at the reindeer and turning red from embarrassment.

Robin quietly chuckled, no doubt finding amusement from this.

XXX

Beau-Père walked off of the downed drawbridge, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm really not in the best of moods right now," He talked to himself, "This is the last thing I want right now."

The Commander walked down the trail in a brisk manner, looking at the ground. As he did so, the drawbridge was hoisted back up.

"Who knows?" He started joking, "Maybe this is just a ploy to get me to leave the base so the Straw Hats could get in."

He chuckled, clearly noticing some barely visible footprints that looked like they came from high heels. A woman's shoes.

"Well, I'll let them have what they want for now..."

He continued walking down the trail, preparing to let the following events happen...

XXX

Back inside the barrier...

"Okay, ready to knock some marines around?" Henley asked, almost in anticipation.

"Do you need to ask?" Robin raised an eyebrow, and Sanji and Chopper let go, allowing gravity to bring them down.

As Sanji dropped right on top of a marine, Chopper landed on another's head and immediately started biting him.

"AGH!" The soldier screamed, dropping his weapon in a panic.

Then, the doctor jumped right in front of him, in Heavy Point, and reeled his fist back.

"Heavy Gong!" Chopper punched the marine in his face, knocking him flat on his rear end. He looked behind him, seeing a marine pull out his sword.

Sanji ran up to a tall marine and wrapped a leg around his neck. Then...

"Reception!" He brought his face down to the floor.

"We have to keep this as quiet as possible," Henley stated as he let Robin gently down, "We can't have any gunshots nor can we let these guys sound the alarms!"

"Then look after Chopper's side," Robin ordered, heading off to a face a group of marines. "I'll assist Sanji."

Sanji didn't need too much assistance, as he was handling twenty of these guys just fine.

"Party Table Kick Course!" He got in the middle of the group, on his hands, and proceeded to sweep his legs all around them.

While he was able to take care of that group, he saw at least six marines point their rifles at him, intending to fire.

"Dieciocho Fleur; Disarm and Clutch," Robin sprouted eighteen arms around them, disarming them of their weapons and breaking their backs.

Henley scurried on the walls as quickly as his extra legs could allow him, then landed on the stone ground in front of Chopper. He then began to tower over the marines, staring at them with his four pairs of eyes and grinning menacingly.

"W-What the hell is that thing?!" One of them exclaimed, shivering.

"Comb-foot Pollaxe!" Henley raised a spider leg up and slammed it down on that marine's shoulder, and began to do the same to the other few.

"Holy crap!" The doctor cursed in amazement, "That's actually cool!"

"Your powers aren't too bad either," Henley broke off his assault to address the little guy, scratching his head in glee. He even got down on his normal feet to do so.

A heavyset marine tried to take the opportunity to attack Henley with a cutlass, except he noticed the two spider legs on the half-breed's left close in together...

"Comb-foot Partisan!" Henley swung the back of those legs into the marine's side, sending him back a few feet. Then, he combined the extra legs on his right and darted towards the large man.

"Comb-foot War Scythe!" The other set of legs curve, hitting his opponent into the side again, this time knocking him into a wall. The marine passed out from the collision.

Chopper ran at a few soldiers in Walk Point and knocked them over, beginning to attack another crowd via Heavy Point. He swiped his fists wildly, sending them flying.

"Chopper, shield your eyes!" Henley pulled two pins out of two grenades and threw them into the air, trying to target a cluster arriving towards them.

"Cobweb Line!" He shot two web lines at the grenades, sending them closer to the group. "Chemistro Grenades: Flash!"

A blinding light burst from the small orbs, blinding the marines and making them drop their guns and swords.

"Comb-foot Arrows!" Henley began charging at them and striking them with all of his spider legs.

"Hey!" Chopper cried out, "Save some for me!"

On the other side of the long hallway, Robin was dispatching marines left and right.

"Cinquenta Fleur!" Robin began sprouting fifty arms on a wall, right in front of some marines. By themselves, they don't look threatening, but Robin had an idea in mind.

"Un Pierna!" The arms combined themselves to form a large, womanly leg from the ground. It began to reel back a bit.

"Kick!" Suddenly, the leg started to strike some of the marines in one blow. It hit some more until it dissipated, leaving only the enemy with the wind knocked out of them.

"If only I thought of doing that to Kuma when he arrived," She mused, watching Sanji fight on.

"Collier!" He kicked a marine in his shoulder, before proceeding to attack the others. "Épaule! Côtelette! Selle! Poitrine! Gigot!"

The cook looked at a large marine charging at him with a club. He also noticed that he was leading a few others behind him.

"Big mistake, buddy," He muttered, grinning before delivering the finisher to him.

"Mouton Shot!" The devastating kick was just enough to send back the muscular soldier into his men, effectively taking them down.

"Do you think that's all of them?" Robin questioned, asking the cook.

"Probably," He thought, "If not, we can always deal with them later. Now let's get that drawbridge down again."

He was ready to turn a crank, which looked about bigger than the steering wheel on a ship, when Chopper came up to him, prepared to help.

"Chopper, where's the stain?" He asked, only to get a few puzzled blinks from him.

"Stain?" The doctor wondered, tilting his head. "My clothes are clean!"

"He was referring to the redheaded young man," Robin corrected.

"Oh, well, he said he was gonna keep the battleships from running and told me to keep being strong!"

"It appears he took a shining to you," Robin smiled, making the reindeer beam.

"Yeah, but that doesn't change what he set in motion," The cook walked up to the crank and started turning it. "He may look like a charmer, but he's a jackass with a heart of stone."

"He's just trying to make up for what he's done!" Chopper argued, moving another crank, identical to the one Sanji was turning. "That's the point of helping Luffy, isn't it?!"

"It is, but I don't like that runt. He's probably going to run now that he's done helping us out."

"We'll see in a few minutes, once we save Luffy," The archaeologist said, crossing her arms in thought.

XXX

The drawbridge came down to the ground before the other Straw Hats eyes, from the view of their little hiding spot.

"There!" Franky pointed at the sight, "It's down!"

"Time to go," Zoro murmured, tying the bandana over his head.

"For Luffy!" Usopp shouted, opening the door to let the other crewmembers go ahead of him.

Up the trail they ran, leading to the center of the base, where they will face off against every marine they can find. For the sake of their captain, they will fight harder than ever before. However, they aren't the only ones looking to spring someone...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	20. Ch 19- The Quick and The Commander

**Chapter 19- The Quick and The Commander**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

William Henley, Beau-Père, Fixit, Seventy, Scorcher, Noppera Spark, Neko Beckett, Silvios, Flora, Alice, Wonderland Island and the G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Nami could hear the drawbridge dropping down many yards behind her.

'It's down,' Nami thought, 'Time to get inside.' She came out of hiding for a second to dash to the detention center. 'Hang on, Luffy! I'm coming!'

She ran up to the front of the building and hid behind some barrels, as a guard came out of the doors.

Nami could hear the drawbridge dropping down many yards behind her. Looking from behind the boxes, she saw Commander Beau-Père strolling towards the sole exit from the place.

'He's leaving now,' Nami thought, 'Time to get inside.' She snuck out for a second to quietly move to the entrance of the detention center. 'Hang on, Luffy! I'm coming!'

She placed her back to the wall of the building and took cover behind some barrels, just as a guard came out of the doors.

"Thunder Ball!" Quietly, she used a piece of her Clima-Tact to send out a ball of electricity at the unsuspecting fool, making him collapse.

As she expected, some marines came by and tended to him, along with a few prison guards. Nami took the chance to sneak in through the front door, as no one was guarding it and everyone's attention was diverted. When she got inside, she hid behind the wall next to the doors.

'Okay, I'm in,' She mumbled internally, 'Now, to find Luffy.'

Nami went down a small hallway to see the prison's cafeteria almost empty, with just a few guards and some janitors, cleaning the floors with their mops. She quickly crouched to the level of the tables and crawled under them.

Looking around, she could make out another hallway over to her left, on the other side of this large room.

'Well, I could start by finding the keys to his cell and to his cuffs. More importantly, I need to find out _where _he is.'

A little bit of slinking and dodging under tables helped Nami to avoid the patrols of guards. She did almost step out in front of one, though. Luckily, he wasn't paying much attention, so she was able to stay hidden for a while longer.

She was almost in the corridor, seeing two marines walking side by side.

Just then, the doors from the entrance flung open. A marine came in with a frantic expression implanted on his face.

"Hey, we got a situation outside!" He shouted, getting the attention of every guard and soldier there.

"What is it?" A guard questioned as the two marines briskly made their way towards the forming group.

'Now's my chance!' Thinking fast, Nami breezed past the two men and snuck into the hallway. She took cover, with the men barely missing a glimpse of her when they turned their heads. They shrugged, believing their ears deceived them, and carried on.

Nami quietly sighed in relief, moving forward. She heard the marine's voice all the way through the hall.

"One of our men's unconscious! We have an intruder, likely inside this complex! Execute lockdown procedures!"

"YESSIR!"

'Well, good to know that this was only the _easy_ part,' The navigator grumbled, 'Time to work my way up, assuming Luffy's up there.'

XXX

Meanwhile, outside the walls...

"Here it is," Silvios whispered, staring at the stronghold, almost in awe. "It's pretty big, for something made by humans."

"Yeah, it's alright," Beckett muttered, tossing a couple of dead marines into the bushes. Each of them had scratch marks on their arms and torsos, with some possessing marks around their necks.

Noppera dragged a killed soldier by his foot with a tentacle arm and threw him into the moat, almost to confirm something. After a few seconds, he signaled his associates to follow.

'It appears that human is correct after all,' He thought, preparing to jump into the water. 'There is a current, but will it lead to an underground complex beneath the detention center?'

"We jumping in the moat, Bell-head?" Silvios questioned, right as the jellyfish fish-man leaped in with a splash.

"Guess that's a yes," Beckett murmured, looking at his bloodstained claws. "At least I'll get to wash this human blood off."

"You're beginning to rely on those weapons," The anglerfish fish-man scoffed, "Just like Spark. A true fish-man warrior would have no need to use them."

"And yet," Beckett smirked, "You're carrying firearms and bladed attachments underneath that jacket."

"This isn't for me, it's for Arlong! Just because I don't use weapons doesn't mean I won't stop others from needing them."

Beckett and Silvios followed Noppera's example, hopping into the water. They felt a current pull them further down, slightly panicking.

"What the hell is this?!" The catfish fish-man tried swimming up to escape the current's grasp, to no avail. He was quickly sucked down into some kind of a large pipe.

The flow of water came out of a wall, launching Silvios and Beckett into cold, steel bars, face-first. They fell on the floor in quick succession, groaning from the pain.

The structure of this part of the prison wasn't exactly complicated. The lights were slightly dim, but you could still see around you. The large cage the fish-men were in had nothing but bars and open gaps, made so water couldn't flood the floor. There were benches and beds strewn all over the place, meant for any prisoner who found their way here. In front of them was an empty desk, along with a few chairs for guards. There weren't any in the room at the moment, however.

"Oh god, that hurts!" Silvios covered his mouth, possibly feeling his jaw hit the bars.

"Be quiet!" Beckett hissed, "The guards will hear!"

"They already have, thanks to you both," Noppera Spark was at the cell door, utilizing a small scalpel as a lockpick to unlock it. "Your commotion will lead them to come here. But that doesn't matter." Hearing a click, he pushed the door open.

"Alright, Bell-head," Silvios got up, "You made us go for a ride, which got us here. Now what?"

"Now," He coldly ushered, putting his scalpel away in his yutaka and unsheathing his swordstick, "I think I'll perform some quick surgery on a few hapless soldiers."

His many tentacle legs carried him over to a door. Beyond it was a few armed guards, and Noppera darted with his intent to murder. The sound of clashing weapons, flesh being punctured, and the screams of men were all that could be heard in the room.

XXX

"So, an intruder got inside the detention center?!" A marine queried, "Then shouldn't we get in there?!"

"The place is officially under lockdown!" Another told, "No one gets in or out! They're trapped, whoever they are!"

"Hey, the drawbridge's going down again!" Someone exclaimed, "What's going on now?"

"Raise the drawbridge!" A marine with binoculars yelled from the roof of the bridge section, "Someone's coming, and it ain't one of ours!"

"What does that mean?"

"Are pirates coming?!"

"Men, stand firm!" The captain of the guard ordered, "We've got intruders incoming!"

"Table Manner Kick Course!" None of the soldiers expected a part of the stone wall to break off from the barrier. Just like none thought a kick from Sanji was all it took to take care of it.

"I'll take care of these guys on the walls!" Sanji told Robin and Chopper, "Can you two do fine alone?"

"Yeah, Sanji!" Chopper nodded, "I can get Franky to throw Usopp up here with you to provide cover fire!"

"Do that!" The cook darted through the halls, out of sight from the pair.

"Cien Fleur: Wing!" Robin jumped off and sprouted multiple arms to create a pair of wings on her back. She held the small doctor to her chest and concentrated on the right time to slow their descent.

They landed on the ground and quickly fled behind a few boxes as the marines began firing on them.

"It's Nico Robin!" The captain yelled, "And the Straw Hat Pirates' pet!"

"I'M NOT A PET!" Chopper angrily flared, shaking his hoof at the marines before ducking for cover.

"Veinte Fleur: Poke!" Robin sprouted twenty arms on the twenty marines that were shooting at them, and they all jabbed their fingers at their eyes. They writhed in pain, distracting them easily.

Chopper ran right at the marines in his Heavy Point form and took swings at them, landing many hits on them.

The other Straw Hats arrived in the base through the drawbridge and went all out on the marines there.

"Oni Giri!" Zoro charged at a cluster of them and knocked them away with his swords.

"Weapons Left!" Franky opened his left hand, unveiling a cannon inside his arm, and fired on some marines. For good measure, he shot at some boxes to draw more on them.

"What the hell!?" The guards that arrived outside the prison questioned, witnessing a feat of strength from these powerhouses.

"Stay inside the prison!" A marine shouted, "We can't let them get close here!"

"Aubade Coup Droit!" Brook sent out a burst of air from his sword to three marines that charged with swords, knocking them back.

"Flame Star!" Usopp fired three flame pellets at those marines to take them out of the fight. They were hit, and their clothes set ablaze.

"AAAGGGHHHHH!" They scrambled along the ground to douse the fire on them.

"Franky! Usopp!" Chopper called out, seeing the sniper take cover behind Franky, as they were getting shot at.

"What is it?!" He asked, hearing bullets ricochet off the cyborg.

"You need to get up to those walls so you can give us cover fire!"

"Wait, me?!" Usopp wouldn't have it, "You suggesting I get _thrown _up there?!"

"Don't argue!" Franky ordered, "You want Luffy to be saved or not?!"

"You had to say it," The sniper groaned, getting preemptively thrown by Franky up the walls.

"What is that?" A marine stationed up there saw a screaming Usopp collide into him. The result was Usopp landing on the concrete but made the soldier fall off into the moat below.

"Sorry, Charlie!" Usopp called out to him, just for the sake of calming his racing heart.

***BANG!* *BANG!***

"Yikes!" Usopp ducked and ran from the shots of a few marines, heading inside the bridge section. He did return fire by launching a few pellets of gunpowder.

They made contact, knocking them down.

(BGM: Three Towers, One Piece Movie 5: The Cursed Holy Sword)

"HA!" Sanji kicked at four marines, knocking them out. He noticed one charging with a sword in front of him, with another attacking from behind.

"Basses Cote!" The cook slightly hopped, taking them both out at once with his legs in midair.

"Longe!" He leaped to a marine and dodged a point-blank shot by jumping over him. He then kicked his back, sending him down to the water below.

"Tendron!" Next, he sent his foot to strike a seven-foot marine in his collar bone. The tall man grasped his own neck, taking hard breaths.

"Flanchet Shoot!" Sanji sent him flying to the moat with a powerful kick to the stomach. For a moment, he expected to rest, but...

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" About twenty marines came from some ladders below the battlefield and screamed, coming towards him! Sanji could even see that some ladders were being put up behind him, meaning that more will show up!

"Oh, you have got to be shitting m-!"

His attempt to finish that sentence was cut short when a marine got back up, placing his arms around his body and arms, rendering the cook immobile.

"Hey! Hands off!" Sanji managed to kick him in his groin, forcing him to let go. He followed up with a left roundhouse kick to the face, taking him down to the water.

"Alright, who's next?!" He questioned, getting back into his fighting stance.

"Franky!" Robin called, subduing a few marines with her arms. "The ladders!"

"Gotcha!" He responded, taking down a soldier with a punch.

"Weapons Left!" The cyborg let a barrage loose on the marines that attempted to climb up to the walls. Some fell from the height when the ladders were destroyed.

"**THIS! IS! SUPER!**" He struck his signature pose as cannonballs blew up behind him, due to Zoro cutting them in half.

"QUIT SCREWING AROUND, FRANKY!" He yelled with comical shark teeth.

XXX

Meanwhile, aboard an anchored marine battleship...

***CRASH!* *FWOOSH!***

Henley threw a vial of a purple substance on the rudder, causing it to combust. Soon after, smoke and fire engulfed the small room, where all that was left were strange technological devices.

"That's another one down!" Henley smirked, retreating to the top. "Only three more!"

Another explosion rang out behind him, meaning the devices went out as well.

He jumped up to the ceiling, looking down on a few marines that ran to the engine room.

"What happened?!" A marine questioned, almost sounding out of his wits.

"The engine room!" Another looked inside, slightly inhaling some smoke. He coughed a bit before moving a few steps away. "The back-up engines must've malfunctioned!"

"But how?! Lieutenant Fixit's the chief mechanic!"

"We need to put the fire out!" One of the marines grabbed a fire extinguisher, "We'll think about this later!"

'That's right, boys,' Henley thought, sneaking out of the hall. 'Focus on that right now.'

He quietly climbed up to the deck and crawled down to the side of the battleship. There, he squeezed inside one of the cannons, hearing the commotion up top.

A short while later, all of the marines aboard were standing at attention in large clusters. The chief petty officer stood in front of, eying his men closely.

"Status report!" He ordered, "What's the damage?"

"Sir!" One man stepped forward, saluting. "The rudder was destroyed along with the back-up engines. It appears to be the result of sabotage."

"Sabotage?" The chief pondered, "How is that possible?"

"It's rather simple," Beau-Père came up to the ship, getting all the men to look at him. "The engines and the rudder were targeted for one reason. This was a calculated assault."

"It was, Commander Beau-Père?"

"These engines have had problems in the past, yes," He explained, "But with Fixit as the new mechanic, I don't believe that they just could up and explode. Also, the G-13 Base has been infiltrated by pirates!"

"Seriously?!" Every marine yelled in shock.

"I can hear explosions and gunshots from the stronghold. I'll send some men to take care of it, but I need all of you to do something else."

"Sir!" A short, big-nosed marine called out from the docking bay. "One of our ships had a fire in the engine room!"

"Same over here, helmsman," The commander stated, then looked back to the man next to him. "Chief petty officer?"

"Right here, sir!" A marine with a square chin saluted.

"Gather some of your men to patrol the island for the pirates' ship. It may be anchored along the beachside of this place, so look hard and seize it. Don't destroy it. Have your highest-ranking subordinates guard the rest of the ships, along with the men you don't take with you. Our saboteur is far from done. Understood?"

"Yessir!" Everyone saluted and got their orders. Beau-Père walked to the front of the ship and pulled out a Baby Transponder Snail.

"Yes, Fixit?"

"Sir, the base is under attack!" He exclaimed.

"I know," He flatly answered, "It sounds like the kind of party the Straw Hats would be in."

"Sir, you should come inside the base and help us fight!" Fixit beckoned, "Before they get to their captain!"

"Possibly a little late for that, but you don't sound to be in immediate danger yet."

"Maybe not, sir, but-"

"You have been trained for this kind of battle, Fixit," Beau-Père shut down the mechanic, "I have faith in your abilities."

"S-Sir..."

"Get Scorcher to burn the drawbridge the first chance he gets. Even if you don't succeed, we only need to distract and outlast them until they exhaust themselves. After all, these pirates have shown how much they care about their captain."

'And I can see two results,' He pondered, 'Either they are simply captured like Captain Monkey, or they are rallied by the captain, who comes to see his crew fighting for him. Whatever the case, it's the best that I can think of...'

"Alright, sir!" Fixit piped up, "We'll await you to arrive!"

"I wonder if I should," Beau-Père sighed as the other line went dead, "Would she even recognize me? She was only a baby when I saw her..."

Henley took the chance to exit the cannon he hid in and shimmy along the side of the battleship, with the marines failing to notice him due to the dim lights. He hopped to the front of the ship, behind the commander, and cleared his throat.

"Hello, Beau-Père," Henley spoke up, getting his attention.

"Oh, Henley," Beau-Père smiled, knowing full well that he was responsible for sabotaging the rudders. He looked back to face him. "You haven't lost your touch."

"Neither have you, geezer," Henley chuckled, "You must've seen me coming a mile away."

"Well, I figured you would show up. I guess you wanted to speak to me face-to-face?"

"Yeah, sort of..." Henley frowned, "But not under this kind of circumstance."

"Indeed," The commander couldn't help but sigh, "But still, it's been at least a year, maybe two? It looks like you've changed."

"No, I haven't. I'm still the same as before, you know."

"Really? I wonder..."

"Well," The redhead rubbed his head, "I'm a little surprised you came out with the drawbridge. I was half-expecting you to just leap over the gate."

"So you arranged for me to arrive outside, evening the playing field for the Straw Hats?"

"Yep. Well, I have time to catch up, but soon, I'll get back to breaking the other rudders."

"You could, but I can't let you do that."

"So... We fight?"

"Nah," Beau-Père dismissed that notion, "Not up for it yet. Besides, your new friends are going to be indisposed for a while, aren't they?"

"What do you mean?" Henley queried, not liking where this is going.

"Right now, my men are taking on the pirates, and whether they succeed or not is up to how well they manage. But besides that, I've arranged for the drawbridge to be destroyed, effectively trapping the Straw Hat Pirates in the base."

"Oh boy," Henley facepalmed, "That's the only way to get into the base without superpowers, huh?"

"Yes, unless you resort to sticking to walls, which I'm sure you did."

"Well," The half-breed shrugged, "How else was I supposed to sneak some of them in?"

"I also know that some of those pirates can't swim," The commander began to point out, "So, if anything goes wrong, they can rely on each other to carry them over the moat water. But I don't think they'll get very far."

"How come?"

"The moat's at least 200 feet deep. Below, there is a mechanism that creates a manmade current, compliments of Fixit."

"A current creating mechanism? You're telling me the mechanic made a device that can cause currents?"

"Yep. Anyone who enters the moat will be sucked into the deep water, dragged down to the bottom level. They will be guided by a current and taken through the sewer system, ultimately finding themselves in a damp, underground cell. It may be where they will spend the rest of their sentence, assuming this isn't their seventh and final offense."

Henley was stunned, hearing the intricate system Beau-Père described.

"That..." He tried to speak, "That would discourage anyone from escaping from this place, wouldn't it?"

"But that's assuming I don't stop them from leaving myself," Beau-Père beamed, "And if you're worried that the pressure damaging any escapees, or about them drowning, don't worry. They'll be moving so fast, they won't have time to worry about dying. Besides, the pressure won't be strong enough to cause permanent damage to their bodies."

"So... You thought of a way to prevent escapes without killing them."

"Yep! Now then, how about we talk? For old times' sake..." Beau-Père leaned against the railing of the ship, relaxing. Henley, on the other hand, jumped to the railing, planting his feet and hands there.

"Well, I wouldn't call one or two years of us not seeing each other _old times_, per se... But who cares? How's it been?"

"To be honest, it could be better..."

"How come?" The redhead questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well, remember the woman I told you about in a few stories?"

"Uhh, yeah, what was her name?"

"Belle-Mère," The commander responded, "That's her name."

"Right. She was your sister. What happened?"

Beau-Père went quiet for a second, feeling terrible about bringing the subject up.

"W-Well," He explained, "The thing is, she's dead."

"Really?" Henley whispered, surprised by the sudden news. He put a hand on Beau-Père's shoulder, worried that the commander would do something stupid. "Sir, I'm really s-"

"Don't do that, Henley. It's alright. I only found out a few months ago. This was beyond your control."

'Maybe this one was,' The half-breed parted his eyes, looking back on his actions. 'But the rest wasn't.' He let his hand go of the commander.

"The only consolation I have," Beau-Père continued, "Is that her murderer won't be walking away like this."

"What do you mean?"

"Her killer is in this prison. And I won't let him leave."

"And his name is...?"

"Does it matter?" Beau-Père scoffed, glaring at Henley.

"I-I guess not. Sorry I asked."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, kid. It's just... I really hate this guy."

"Well," Henley scratched his head, "It's not like you aren't justified."

"It doesn't make a difference. Justice has been served. Anyway, I take it you met 'Cat Burglar' Nami?"

"Yes, I have. Though, I don't think she likes me. I have that effect on a lot of people."

"That you do," Beau-Père slightly chuckled, "But what's the difference?"

Henley nodded, and then looked directly at the commander.

"What's with that question?" He queried, "Why did you bring up Nami?"

Beau-Père rubbed his face, almost anxious to say something.

"Well, my sister... I once said that she had two adopted daughters, yeah?"

"I... Think so?" Henley wasn't sure if that was brought up, but it was a while since they both talked about Belle-Mère.

"One of them... is Nami."

"Wait, really?" Henley was a little shocked, but it almost felt like he knew.

"Yes, and um... I don't think I can speak to her without causing an enormous headache to her."

"Yeesh, that sucks."

"You snuck her inside the detention center, didn't you?"

"Huh?" Henley blinked, "What?"

"You intend to have her break her captain out, don't you?"

"If you think I'm going to let you get in the way..."

"Listen," Beau-Père pleaded, "I'm not going to stop her. But, just so I know I don't have to worry, I want to test her skills."

"What? You're kidding, right?"

"If she can handle herself, then she can walk with 'Straw Hat' Luffy. If she can't..."

"Commander, you know you're frickin' powerful! There's no way she can outlast you!"

"Well, if she can land some hits on me, then that's good enough."

"But how do I know you won't arrest her, too?!"

"You don't want me to arrest the entire crew? Then you better hustle. I'll give her thirty minutes against me. Maybe more."

"Thirty minutes?" Henley just looked at Beau-Père slack-jawed.

"Plenty of time for you to get rid of all the rudders and come back in to help her save the captain. You make for a good deus ex machina."

"W-" Henley threw his arms around, extremely confused. "What does that even-?!"

"Really, Henley, this isn't hard to understand!"

"Why can't you just tell her?! She has a right to know, don't you think?!"

"She'll hate me for not being there for her..." Beau-Père flatly stated.

"For a little bit, but when she sees your reports, your incidents, she'll understand! She knows what it's like to have the odds stacked against you! I feel the same right now!"

"What do you mean?" It was the commander's turn to be confused, "Haven't you been doing well on Wonderland Island?"

"Well, no," Henley began, "Here's the short version. I lost some of my memories and felt crappy. Also, Flora got sick from something and the worst-case is she could die. So, I left Alice to look after her while I-"

"YOU DID WHAT!?" Beau-Père shouted, going from concerned to angry in a millisecond. "YOU LEFT HER BEHIND?!"

"Hang on a second!" Henley raised a finger, jumping to the floorboards. "I figured out how to create an antidote from examining her condition and watching her for a few weeks! But I needed to create a better one because the hundreds I made only last for so long! I needed a permanent, working antidote!"

"So you left them to find a cure?"

"I left them a note, and I promised I'd be back soon."

"And how long was it since you left?"

"...Around seven or eight months."

"WHAT?!" Beau-Père became livid, and he gave Henley a severe kick to his chest. "YOU LEFT THEM FOR THAT LONG?!"

"OWWW!" Henley screamed, writhing for a second. "I was always going to come back!

"Henley, for all your genius, you can be an idiot sometimes!"

"I know! I'm a piece of shit, alright?! But it's fine! It's not like I don't deserve everything karma throws my way!"

"You realize this is going to put your relationship with them in jeopardy, right?" The commander questioned, "Those two are your only friends!"

"Well, Flora's my girlfriend now!" Henley huffed, sighing after he considered the statement. "More like _was_. After this, I doubt it'll be much longer."

"If she's your girlfriend, this will hurt her even more," Beau-Père crossed his arms, "She and Alice might believe you to be dead."

"No, they'll stay informed. News of my encounters with other pirates must've reached them. After all, my name's becoming known."

"You're a wanted man."

"I've been a wanted kid since fourteen."

"Flora and Alice won't like that. Besides, you left them without saying goodbye in person. Aren't you concerned they might hate you for this?"

"Well, if they hate me, fine! As long as Flora lives after this, all that will be worth it! I don't need to be forgiven!"

"Henley, you could use some forgiveness," Beau-Père shook his head, "You're not a monster."

'Tell that to the people of Wonderland Island,' He thought to himself, 'But it's my fault she's sick. Just like it's my fault now.'

"Henley?"

"Spare me your sympathy speech, sir," The half-breed spoke up, "I've got the antidote. I'll solve this problem myself, but first... Your rudders need some redecorating."

"Alright," Beau-Père sighed, "Just remember to arrive at the top floor in thirty or so minutes. It's where Luffy is, and soon, where Nami'll be."

"Well, we have our roles," Henley spawned four spider legs from his back, "Time to play it out."

"It was nice to see you again, Henley," Beau-Père smiled, making the redhead reply in kind.

"Moonwalk Jumping Spider!"

And just like that, Henley took off, leaping on thin air and getting aboard the next battleship.

Beau-Père looked at the G-13 Base from where he stood, able to hear what was going in with his ears.

"And my men have joined the fight," He said to no one in particular, "I should head back and meet your daughter, Belle-Mère."

XXX

Meanwhile, back at the base...

"Exploding Star!"

Another marine was knocked out to the tune of gunpowder exploding on him.

"Whew!" Usopp wiped his forehead, looking on as Sanji kicked two of them to the floor. "We are doing good!"

"We can't rest yet, Usopp!" Sanji called out, "This won't be the last wave we have to fight!"

"You're right in that assessment, 'Black Leg' Sanji!" A husky, garbled voice shouted, coming from below.

A trapdoor embedded in the stone suddenly opened up, and out came Seventy, armed with a large bazooka with a sniper rifle strapped around his back.

"Sanji, get away from him!" Usopp cried, but it was no use.

(BGM: A Grand Battle, One Piece Film Z)

"Gustaf Shot: Net!" Seventy fired at point-blank, covering Sanji in a net. He struggled to get out, but Seventy grabbed him by his shirt with his free hand.

"Small Game Throw!" He threw the cook far back, and he scraped on the stone.

"Let me get you out!" Usopp grabbed a sword at his feet and tore the net up.

"Really?" Seventy muttered, "I was hoping for a heavier foe, not some lightweight punks."

"I'll show you little," Sanji shook off the pieces of the net and dashed towards his opponent, "When I break that neck of yours!"

The stocky marine laughed a storm, up until he fiddled with something in his bazooka and fired again.

"Gustaf Shot: Cannonball!" A louder shot rang out with a small black ball speeding at the cook, who kicked it away with ease.

"Believe me, blondie," He said, "You don't want to fight me when I'm _not_ wearing this thing!"

"Good luck, Sanji!" Usopp cheered from his hiding place, "I'll be your emotional support!"

"What?!" The cook yelled in shock and anger, "You're helping me kick this guy's ass, with or without cover, got it?!"

"Hmph," Seventy scoffed, "If these boys fight as well as they pay attention, then this should be a cinch."

Down on the ground, Brook and Zoro defeated a squad of marines with their swords. They saw the action that was going on above them.

"Zoro, are you seeing-?!" Brook shouted, only to get cut off by Zoro, no pun intended.

"I am!" He impatiently muttered, "Dammit! You can't trust anybody but yourself to do something right!"

"Mr. Roronoa Zoro!" The musician chided, sheathing his sword and taking down three marines that charged at him from behind. "Don't talk about your fellow man like that! We've expected those strong men to come out and fight!"

"Shut the fuck up, Brook!" Zoro lost his temper and created a heavy slash with a swing of his swords, bringing down ten who tried to shoot him with guns. "You don't know what this means to me if we lose!"

"Yes, I do! I've experienced the worst-case scenario, you haven't!"

Zoro caught his breath for a second, looking back at the skeleton man with regret for his attitude, who came walking towards him. His mind flashed back to what Luffy said when he shared his dream to him.

_"The World's Greatest Swordsman, huh?" Luffy smiled, "The Pirate King can't settle for less than that!"  
_  
"I failed my captain, in more ways than one...!" Zoro hung his head down, remembering his fight with Kuma. "I just can't... _won't_ let it happen again!"

"It may already be too late for second chances," Fixit's monotone voice shattered Zoro's thoughts when he appeared, swinging his tonfas around. "So, you're Roronoa Zoro?"

"The one and only," Zoro replied, "If you're all I have to face, then Luffy won't have to wait for long!"

He began charging straight at the mechanic with his swords, intent on splitting him in half, if he could.

"Oni Giri!" But Fixit voluntarily slunk to the ground, evading the strike.

"Open Hood!" He then performed a double uppercut with the batons, hitting Zoro's chin and sending him a few steps away. He was caught by Brook.

"We'll fight him together, Mr. Zoro," Brook reassured, pulling his sword back out. "And worry not, we won't lose."

"Running, running, running, running, running...!" Scorcher muttered a mantra as if it would help him move faster. His sights were set on Franky, who was firing on a few men.

"Quick Match!" He took the cyborg off guard when he appeared in front of him and struck him in the chest with his fists, pushing him back.

"Hey!" He shouted on reflex, "What was that?!"

"A quick attack, walking refrigerator!" Scorcher grinned, taking a jab at him. "And I think they have more common sense than you!"

"Here we go..." Franky sighed, ignoring the insult and raising his forearms up. "Gotta knock this guy down so he doesn't cause trouble for us."

"You want some help?" Chopper asked, entering back into Heavy Point.

"Sure! This guy doesn't look so tough!"

"Don't say that about me!" Scorcher readied his shoulder cannons, flicking a few switches on the sides. "I haven't shown you what I can do yet!"

"Chopper! Franky!" Robin began to remind while she had multiple arms hold down a few soldiers, "Don't underestimate him!"

"Mons Meg: Ash Cloud!" The cannons shot out a thick, black cloud of ash, covering the targets in it. "Unhealthy, isn't it?"

'It won't matter if I lose this fight!' He thought to himself as the smoke cleared, and he took the chance to kick a small Chopper to the stone wall and punch Franky in the face.

'Even if these suckers can hold their own against us...!' Seventy mused as he blocked Sanji's kicks with his bazooka.

'We need only to delay them!' Fixit pressed his baton against Zoro's swords while defending against Brook's cane sword.

'When the drawbridge is destroyed,' They all finished their thoughts in unison as the drawbridge could be seen at the entrance, 'THEY WILL BE TRAPPED!'

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	21. Ch 20- The Navigator's Resolve

**Chapter 20- The Navigator's Resolve**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

Beau-Père, Mars, and the G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Up high in his cell, Luffy could hear the explosions and fighting going on. He almost looked curious enough to see for himself, but he didn't attempt to do so.

"Someone's causing some trouble down there," He whispered, "Not that it matters. No one's coming for me."

'And who _would_?' The voice in his head snarled, 'It'd be a wonder if anyone from that group of _traitors _would come for us at all.'

Dead silence returned to the floor, minus the sounds of gunshots and swords grinding against each other.

"Well, maybe a little look," He decided, attempting to stand on the bench.

'Go ahead,' That same voice muttered in an uncaring manner, 'Get your hopes up. It's only going to get crushed again.'

"Shut up!" Luffy shouted, and the internal negativity died down. Taking a quick breath, he peeked from the barred windows.

What he saw was a wild scene down on the ground, one where most of the marines were losing. Looking a little closer, he could make out a few of his crewmembers fighting down there.

"What?!" He questioned, "Why are they here?! I told them to leave me!"

Luffy broke into a nervous sweat, clearly unable to think straight. He had no idea that they would come to save him.

"No," He shook his head in denial, "No, they're not here to save me. Maybe they came to break me out just so they could use me like a tool again! That's right! There's no way...!"

'Of course not,' That negative voice stated as if it knew, 'Why would they bother to care for you now?'

"Why, guys?" Poor Luffy looked down below, almost starting to cry again. "Why did you have to come back?"

XXX

Meanwhile, on the first floor...

Nami kept to the corners, avoiding the slinking transponder snails along the walls. She knew that these things would pick up whatever they see and transmit them to a guard room of sorts. Hence why she preferred to avoid these as much as possible.

'Alright,' She thought, 'Right now, it's best if I disable the surveillance room and cut the power. I don't know _why _I didn't think about prioritizing that when I came in, but here we are.'

She snuck along the wall, coming across a door that read 'Records Room' on the side.

'Well, this is a start, but not what I need right now. I'll find Luffy when I take care of the guards watching the-'

The navigator couldn't finish that sentence when she saw the room labeled 'Surveillance Room' in front of her.

'Oh, come on! At least make me work for it! ...I can't believe I just asked for a challenge.'

Nami walked to the other side, not caring if she were spotted by a snail. When she opened the door, she closed it quickly, pulling out her Clima-Tact and taking down all the guards that were in the room! When she was done, all seven guards were unconscious, and she didn't even need to zap anyone.

"Okay," Nami looked at the several dozen monitors in front of the last guard she whacked, "Where's your off switch?"

Looking around, she decided not to bother and just destroy it all. She used her weapon to damage the monitors and controls. By the time she was through, the room looked like a tornado blew through it.

"Ah, stress relief, at long last! Now, to the Records Room. I should be able to find something on Luffy."

(BGM: Intruder 1, Metal Gear Solid)

One careful walk across the hall was all it took, and Nami just waltzed right into the room.

The few guards that were stuck doing paperwork the office got interrupted by Nami, shooting thunder balls at them, knocking them out. There were only four she had to deal with this time.

Nami looked around as she walked to some desks. They were messily strewn with papers and open files.

'This place is so disorganized,' She thought, 'How am I going to find Luffy's cell and key?'

As she examined the stack of papers on a table, she saw a file that read, PRIORITY 1.

"Priority 1? What does that mean?"

Nami opened up the file, revealing a wanted poster of Monkey D. Luffy with a large red stamp on the picture marked CAPTURED.

"Luffy!" She smiled, looking past the poster and seeing a paper underneath.

It was just a simple dossier on him, with the exception of a section regarding his placement in the detention center. It was printed, "Level 9, Cell Block A, #10."

"Well, I found his cell. But what about his key?"

Nami searched the room some more, seeing a filing cabinet, one with a drawer reserved for key numbers. Believing there was something important, she opened it up and looked for the file that had a level 9 in red. When she found the file, she accidentally grabbed another file labeled BOX in black.

"The _Box_?" She questioned out loud, before tossing it aside, letting a few papers out. "Not important."

She opened the file and found a few key numbers by skimming through a section on them. A-7, A-8, A-9, A-10, A-11...

"Wait! A-10!" She saw the key number that corresponds to the cell Luffy was in; Block A, #10. She got what she needed, but now what? Where can she get it?

On closer inspection, she saw that a key was given to a guard under a serial number. In this detention center, the cell doors to some inmates are the guards' responsibility. But just because they guard the keys, it doesn't mean they can use them for their own ends. For the first few floors, only four or eight guards look after several keys to cells at a time. But with the higher floors, only certain guards look after one key to a cell. In Luffy's case, this one was a last-second decision.

"Number 5012," She repeated, opening another drawer with a tag on guard's numbers. "Where are you?"

She opened up a file on numbers five thousand to six thousand, looking through the pictures of the guards and seeing her target. The man she needed to find looked to have short blonde hair, gray eyes, a triangular chin, but most importantly, he was eight feet tall and lanky. His post was on the eighth floor, where there were a few inmates, but many guards.

"Okay, off to the eighth floor where this guy patrols. With other guards. With guns and halberds. ...Wait a minute."

Before she decided to leave, she went back to the key files, looking for any information on Luffy's cuffs. In a smaller section, it read that only Commander Beau-Père was allowed to have the key.

"Oh, hell," Nami cursed, "That doesn't mean I'll have to fight him, does it?"

The navigator saw another stack of papers that didn't exactly interest her, but she decided to look. From the fine print, it appears to be a document regarding the number of riots that the prison had in the last year. When a Commodore Mars was in charge, there were twenty riots in a month, and that number was the _lowest _amount compared to the others. None of the prisoners escaped during those times, but this base was regarded as a hazard until Beau-Père took over, and the riots have gone down considerably.

"So this place had problems before Commander Beau-Père showed up, huh?"

Getting all she needed, plus excessive information, the navigator closed the drawers and dropped the papers, stepping over some pictures on her way out. She was unaware that she walked over Arlong's poster with CAPTURED stamped over his picture.

'It's a good thing I got this stuff on paper,' She mused, walking down the hall. 'If I needed those broken monitors to look for the guard, then I'd be in trouble.'

The prospect of that was serious, but Nami brushed it off. It all worked out for her and the crew in the past, so what's the worry?

'It's whether or not Luffy forgives them,' She sadly reminded herself, 'It's fine if he won't forgive me, but the others...'

She shook her head, almost purging her thoughts of that.

'I'll just get the keys to the cell, get Luffy out of this place, and try to steal the keys to the cuffs off of the commander. Sounds a little hard, but I said I wanted a challenge. Still can't believe I said that.'

Nami sighed, approaching an elevator. Pushing a button, she waited for it to arrive. It did, and she got inside as quickly as possible to avoid being spotted. The doors shut when she pressed the button with the eight imprinted on it.

Only a couple of seconds passed until she arrived at her stop. The doors opened, and Nami boldly walked in front of a few guards that laid behind a few bars.

"Hey, it's an intruder!" A guard shouted, bringing everyone's attention towards Nami.

"Well, good job, guys," She sarcastically remarked, "You have common sense. What happens next depends on you."

(BGM: Outnumbered ~The Battle is On~, One Piece Movie 10: Strong World)

"I've seen her face before!" Another bellowed, "She's one of the Straw Hats!"

"Oo-La-La~!" A third guard exclaimed with hearts in his eyes, "She's a beauty!"

The first guard facepalmed as if this has happened before, "Focus on the fact we have an intruder instead of gawking, please?!"

"Well, well," An eight-foot-tall and lanky guard grinned, almost lecherously. "I suppose we should be honored to have a new guest here. And it's a woman."

"I'll just go ahead and ask," Nami proceeded, "Would you please give me the keys to Luffy's cell, the one on the ninth floor?"

"Be specific, woman," The same guard ordered, "There are so many."

"I know you have the keys to Luffy's cell. I'm only going to ask one... more... time."

"Or what?!" He laughed mockingly.

"Buddy," Nami shook her head, "You're only screwing yourself and everyone else in this hall."

"You're joking! You're just a weak woman! Beautiful, but weak!"

"Yeah!" Another guard concurred with him, "She's no true pirate! Go back to your ship and do the laundry!"

"Or even better!" A guard with a rifle chimed in, "Go to the kitchen! Make me something!"

Some of the guards began to laugh, though others were appalled by their behavior. Not that it mattered to the navigator, who clearly had no time for their nonsense.

Nami brandished her weapon and connected two-thirds of her Clima-Tact together. In quick succession, she threw it at the tall guard, hitting him directly in his nose.

"Cyclone Tempo!"

After the attack, the weapon came back to Nami's hands, and she brought out the final piece and stuck her tongue out in a cutesy manner. Her expression changed to an aggressive one as she fired balls of electricity from the disconnected piece.

"Thunder Ball!" At least ten guards got electrocuted before she resorted to putting the Clima-Tact together again. When she did, she blocked a guard from jabbing his halberd into her. All she had to do was sidestep and strike him in the back of his head.

A few resorted to charging at her, but Nami jumped over them and did a leg sweep, bringing them to the floor.

She clashed her weapon against a guard with a rifle, making him fire at the ceiling. She took the chance to stomp on one of his knees and clocked him in the face, knocking him out.

"That's it, you little bitch!" The tall guard tried bringing his weapon down on Nami, but he hit the floor instead.

"You brought this on yourself!" Nami retorted, taking her weapon apart and twirling two of the rods. "Cool Ball! Heat Ball!"

Blue and red bubbles flew up to the air, above the guard's head. If he weren't busy looking at the forming cloud, then he would see Nami running and jumping to kick him in his exposed area.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" He screamed, dropping his weapon, getting on his knees and covering his groin. The pain was too much for him to pay attention to the navigator sending a thunder ball up to the cloud, resulting in...

"Thunderbolt Tempo!" Lightning dropping down on top of him. It also hit the few guards unfortunate enough to be behind him.

A few guards tried to swing their weapons at Nami when they were behind her, but she saw them coming. They couldn't hit her, whether because she blocked or dodged them. It didn't matter. A few kicks and hits with the Clima-Tact took care of them.

By Nami's count, there were around nine left. Not wanting to waste time, she utilized one final attack. She let electricity crackle on the tip and the rod separated from the weapon, revealing a long cord. She twirled it around a few times and swung it to the enemy.

"Thunder Charge: Swing Arm!" None of them stood a chance against that attack and went out cold.

Nami took the chance to swap pieces of her weapon and reconnect them. Next, she went over to the tall, unconscious guard, inspected his pockets, and found a key in one of them. She grabbed it and looked it over.

"Luffy's cell key! Now we're in business!" She put it in her pocket so she wouldn't lose it on accident.

"HEY!" A guard called out, bringing some more friends. "Put the key down, pirate!"

"What I want, I take," She said, smirking in defiance to the heavy-set guard with the rifle. "Cool Charge!" The air began to turn and look different for a second until four other versions of Nami appeared out of thin air! "Mirage Tempo: Fata Morgana!"

"Shoot her!" The guard fired a shot at the normal-looking one, but the bullets went through her! "W-What the hell?!"

"Who do we shoot?!" A guard questioned, seeing all the Namis twirl a rod.

"Here, let me help you out! Thunder Ball!" The guards saw multiple balls of lightning fly towards them and panicked. They dropped their weapons and scrambled to avoid them, but were all taken out. Just like that, all of the duplicates disappeared until the real Nami was left.

"Don't ever tell someone like me to go back to the kitchen!" She huffed, proud of herself. "Well, time to go up."

She walked back to the elevator, hitting the button labeled nine. The doors closed, and up she went.

"I can't believe I went through that without getting hit!" She put a hand up to her chest, feeling her pumping heart. The adrenaline rush she got was really something. "I should be glad though. If they punctured the..."

The elevator rang, interrupting her thoughts. She got off and stepped on the ninth floor.

"Luffy?" Nami called out, looking through the dim lights to see Luffy in his cell, looking outside.

"Nami?!" Luffy exclaimed, surprised she would be the one sent to save him. He was so shocked, he forgot he was standing on the bench when he took a few steps backward, making him fall on his butt. "WHOA! OOF!"

"Sorry!" The navigator apologized, running to his cell and grabbing the bars. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine, thanks," He said, picking himself up.

"What about your face? There's a bandage on your cheek."

"Just some of the guards being jackasses. It's fine. But what the hell are you doing here?!"

"I'm here to save you, duh."

Nami proceeded to pull out the key she took from the guard, intending to unlock the cell.

"Wait, Nami, just stop," Luffy pleaded, "I-I don't want you to save me."

"I heard you say that back on the ship," The navigator flatly told him, "But no, I won't leave you here."

"But-"

"LET ME FINISH!" Nami shouted on impulse, shutting up Luffy. When she calmed herself, she explained to him.

(BGM: Woonan and the Stone Storage Room, One Piece)

"Luffy, I know you resent me for what I did, and I know that I don't deserve to be forgiven. But if you think I'm just going to leave you for the marines, then you're wrong."

"But I don't wanna go!" Luffy persisted, "Especially not with you!"

"Luffy..."

"You betrayed me so many times before! You strung me along like a puppet! How do I know you won't do it again?!"

"You don't," Nami tried to insert the key into the lock, but she was suddenly startled by Luffy kicking the bars. "What the hell!?"

"I deserve to be locked up for being an idiot around you and everyone else! But...!"

The former captain stopped rambling, parting his look away from Nami, who grabbed the bars again.

"Just leave!" He begged, closing his eyes. "I'll hurt you again! I don't want that!"

"Luffy, that was an accident! I know that! Just let me help you!"

"NO!" He whipped his head violently, "I'm not going anywhere! I didn't ask for this, so I won't leave!"

"Why do you have to be so goddamn stubborn!?" Nami slammed her forehead against the cell out of frustration, letting out a snarling yell as the sound of flesh meeting metal barely went noticed. She even did it a few more times until she felt a bit of her skin tear.

Luffy opened his eyes, startled by the navigator's self-injury. When she reeled back hissing from the injury, there was a cut on her forehead with blood slightly trickling down between her eyes and on her left cheek.

"N-Nami..." Luffy choked, "Y-Your head..."

"I can't live with the thought of losing you," Nami gasped with closed eyes, before opening them. "If I knew the consequences of my actions, I would've done everything, _anything _to avoid this."

"Nami, what happens to me doesn't matter-"

"It still does!" She argued, "To me and the crew! If you don't want to come back because of me or the others, that's fine. But can't you do it for Chopper and Brook's peace of mind? And can't you do it for your dream?"

"Chopper and Brook's...?" The black-haired boy blinked, "And my dream?"

"Dreams don't die, Luffy. You can still achieve yours." Nami sent her eyes to the stone ground, forlorn.

'Without me, anyway,' She whispered in her mind.

"I-I don't know," Luffy whimpered, "I don't know if I'm cut out to be a pirate anymore..."

"You never abandoned me when I told you to, Luffy," Nami looked back at him, letting out a small smile. "I won't abandon you now."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

NOTE: This is a short chapter, but at least I'm getting back on track, and closer to the conclusion with each one done. Stay tuned!


	22. Ch 21- Come Back To Us, Luffy

**Chapter 21- Come Back To Us, Luffy**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

Ashley, William Henley, Beau-Père, and The G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

"Y-You want to help me?" Luffy questioned, unsure of whether his former crewmate was being honest or not.

"Cross my heart," Nami nodded, "I do."

At least 10 minutes ago, Nami had snuck inside the detention center of the base, in no small part to Henley. While she worked to find her captain, she managed to get the key to his cell from defeating a group of guards. Now, here she stands, four feet away from the cell of the person she came to rescue.

"That's the thing," Luffy shifted his gaze away from the navigator, "I don't know if I can."

"Because you think I don't have any respect or faith in you, right?"

The former captain sighed, looking back on the adventures they had on the Grand Line so far. He remembered so many moments, from when he and Nami explored an island filled with animals and a man stuck in a treasure chest to traveling up to Skypeia via the Knock Up Stream.

"You know, I trusted you back then," He said, "I still trusted you even when you took the Merry back at the East Blue. I thought I still could when you left with Shiki..." He glared at the floor beneath him, "But you betrayed my trust. That's when I thought you didn't have faith in me anymore."

"I'm really sorry, Luffy," Nami reflected on her actions with grief.

"I don't think you _are_," Luffy quietly seethed, looking up to face her. "You've lied to me before, so I don't think you're sorry...!" His rage dissipated, replaced with sorrow. "How can you be when you have an idiot for a captain?"

"Don't blame yourself for all that's happened. Just blame me. You have every reason to do so."

The black-haired boy looked a little to the side, listening to Nami's words.

"Do you remember anything about Drum Island when you were sick?" He queried, "Up to when you felt better?"

The navigator remembered a little bit of what happened at Drum Island. It was where they met Chopper, but she didn't remember anything else.

"I actually thought you were gonna die back then," Luffy grew more solemn, "I tried my damnedest to save you when you were sick. But I couldn't do much except carry you to the top of the mountain. And the worse part? It was my fault that you were sick in the first place."

"What do you mean, your fault?" Nami pondered.

"If I didn't get your clothes burned, then some bug wouldn't have bitten you and made you sick."

"Luffy, come on," Nami shook her head, "If you didn't do that, I would've been a wax sculpture for the rest of my afterlife."

"Well, it's still my fault you almost died back there. I more than deserved that debt you forced on me when I ruined your coat."

"O-Oh, you remember that part."

"I couldn't _not _remember that," He sighed, talking on, "When you gave me that jacket, and when I left you in the room, I was wondering something. I may have been confused about it, but I felt... good. I don't think I ever felt something like this before. I thought I did, but it was all wrong."

'My heart couldn't stop beating that day,' He thought privately, 'I think I grew a little bit warmer, too. I don't know now if what I felt was real or not.'

"Anyway," Luffy spoke up again, "I was about to ask you something, even if I didn't exactly understand it, but_ then_... that happened."

"Oh, Luffy..."

It was Nami's turn to hang her head in shame. Luffy saved her many times when they first met, and broke Arlong's grasp on her in the East Blue. He is the reason everyone was still alive now, but what has she done to repay him? Constantly reminding him of his idiocy, arguing and beating him up over some of the pettiest of things, putting him in debt, and taking advantage of his airheadedness over the stolen pirate flag incident.

On top of that, there was a chance he could have told her how he felt. But would she feel the same way? Does she still? Nami couldn't wrap her head around the idea. She only found out recently and put it aside because she prioritized her captain's safety. That, and she already decided she ruined the prospect of it.

'Well,' She sighed, 'There's one more thing that can be chalked up to a fleeting fantasy. I should've known this kind of thing could never work for _someone like me_.'

"None of this would've happened," Luffy said, breaking through her thoughts. "If I were smarter and stronger."

"What?" Nami questioned, not understanding what Luffy was getting at.

"If I were a different person, you wouldn't hate me. No one would hate me. You wouldn't have lied to me about that flag, you wouldn't beat me or call me names, and I would think that maybe..."

Luffy went quiet, contemplating whether or not to finish the thought.

"No, that's not important anymore. All I think now is that you would've been happier if I didn't exist at all."

"NO!" The thief quickly objected to Luffy's logic, "That's bullshit! I wouldn't be here without you! If you were different, none of your crew, your friends, would be alive!"

"But-"

"**I'M NOT DONE!**" Nami yelled, gritting her teeth and making Luffy jump up. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and wiped the blood from her head and face, continuing in a normal tone.

"Luffy, listen to me. If you were like anybody else in this world, I would never have been free. You're different from the other pirates I met. You aren't lustful, you never demand anything from other people... Well, that's not entirely true. You expect them to give you some food, so..."

Luffy slightly chuckled from that remark. She was not wrong in that assertion. He'd demand food from anybody, and run off on his way.

"But, that's not the point," Nami jumped back to the real topic, "You did a lot for me, and all you wanted is for me to join the crew as your friend. You put up with me for a long time, and you never asked me to change..."

"Well, yeah," Luffy mumbled, "What kind of a friend would I be if I told you to change the way you are?"

Nami showed a small smile, making Luffy do the same in return until he scoffed and looked away.

"But I don't know if anything means that much anymore."

The navigator sadly moaned, feeling she was close in getting Luffy to return. Then, a subject stuck out to her, almost beckoning her to bring it up.

"You said that it was your fault I didn't trust you. What did you mean by that?"

"I said that..." Luffy answered shakily, beginning to repeat certain words. "Because of who I really am. Me being an idiotic, gluttonous, waste of space... Being the devil's son, causing pain to others, that's why. I thought because of that, you would never believe in me."

"Oh, Luffy, I'm really sorry," Nami clutched the bars, unable to look at him with his abnormal green eyes. She was almost on the verge of tears, having remembered the cutting words she gave him the day before. "I really am. I shouldn't have said that-!"

"But you were right," The former captain interrupted, "Just like _Ashley_. Who could love someone like me?"

"W-Who?" Nami quietly quivered, still holding herself back. She didn't pay much attention to the name, only concentrating on keeping the water in her eyes from leaking out.

"Just someone who died a long time ago, along with her hatred of me. It doesn't matter."

Nami closed her eyes and pressed her head against the bars. As the pressure caused a little bit of blood to run from her self-inflicted head wound, she whispered, "If I could change what I did, I would. I went off on a tangent and said so many terrible things about you that I never meant to say."

She opened her eyelids and forlornly gazed at the black-haired boy she cared for, letting out her tears.

"I'm sorry."

Luffy took a few steps forward and stared back at her with a similar expression. The strange green eyes that he wore began to shift back to the default color, black.

"If you don't want to forgive me," Nami broke the silence, "If you don't want me in the crew when you come back, then that's fine. All I want for you is to return, safe and sound."

"But why?" He asked, "Why do you want that? What do you gain from saving me?"

"I'm doing it because it's right, because it's my fault, and because this is for the others who weren't responsible. But more importantly..."

Nami grabbed the straw hat that hanged behind her neck and showed it to its rightful owner.

"It's because I want you to go back to your dream."

Luffy stared at the hat, realizing she had it with him.

"I-I forgot you had my hat... I wouldn't be surprised if-"

"If I took it for myself?" Nami sniffed, "I may have taken treasure from others, but this has sentimental value worth more than that. It's your hat, and it's important to you. Just like being the Pirate King."

"Nami..." Luffy let a small smile out, moved by those words.

"Forget about thinking of me. Just think about your dream."

And Luffy did. He remembered the day when Shanks gave him the hat before he left.

_"I want you to have it, Luffy," He said, putting it on his head. "I'll wait for the day you become a full-fledged pirate."  
_  
'The Shanks I know would tell me to quit,' Luffy thought, 'But he always says that like he knew I wouldn't. He would never say those things about me being a waste.'

'You can't actually believe this bitch's lies!' The darker part of his mind echoed, causing the former captain to gasp, his eye color going back to green.

"Luffy?" Nami was slightly startled, "What's wrong?"

Now, Luffy was beginning to have doubts over where he stands. On one hand, he still doesn't want to live, but on the other, there may still be a chance for him. His dream isn't over yet, but his mind, body, and soul are splintered. But could Nami understand what's been happening to him?

'She'd think I'm crazy,' He made his decision, 'But she's giving me a chance. She wants me back.'

'She doesn't deserve you!' The negative side growled, 'And neither does your crew! You know you can't forgive any of them!'

'Chopper and Brook had nothing to do with it! I'm still not sure if I can forgive the others, but...'

"L-Listen, Nami," He spoke up, breaking the suspense Nami felt in the air. "I don't know how to say this, but there's a voice in my head."

"O-Okay?" The navigator listened, a little bit confused. She remembered what Henley told the rest of the crew when they were searching for Luffy. The substance allowed a stream of memories to replay to someone, but the side effects resulted in a strong emotional output which could damage the person's mental and emotional health. At least, that was the gist of it.

"It started telling me bad things about you and the others recently. And, well... It's been making me want to..."

"Want to die?" Nami shuddered, placing her right hand on the cell lock. She quietly stuck the key inside and grabbed the bars again.

"Yeah..." Luffy nodded, "But this was just now. Before that, something else happened."

Nami paid close attention to Luffy, wondering how bad it got before now.

"I had some nightmares where bad things happened to me. Nightmares involving you and the crew, Ace and Shanks, Gramps, and even some of my enemies mocking me, telling me how worthless I am."

"Luffy, you're not worthless," Nami stated outright, "None of us would-"

"You guys call me an idiot several times," Luffy scoffed, interrupting her. "So I don't think I'm _that_ far off thinking you would say that."

"You drive us crazy sometimes, I admit that. But-"

"It's fine. I put you guys in danger too much, sometimes. That's my bad."

"It's you being extremely fearless, that's all. While we could've died almost every time something goes wrong, we somehow pull through."

"But it doesn't change how much of a terrible captain I've been."

"That's the serum talking, Luffy! You can't let it rule you and make you say that about yourself!"

"W-What?" The former captain jolted up, gaping at Nami. "Wait, how did you-?"

"Know about that?" Nami stared back with ardent eyes, "Know when this all started? Simple. Henley told me. You know, the redheaded guy who's part fish-man."

"He told you that?"

"That and the part where he gave you the serum. He told us about what it's doing to you, and he regrets it so much, he's helping us break you out."

"Wait, HE'S HERE?!" Luffy's expression began to slightly darken.

"Because he wants to atone for what he did to you, and so do I. Can you come back with us?"

"So what?!" Luffy's rage took control, "So you can _use _me again?!"

"You're the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, goddammit!" Nami retorted, "No one in this crew wants you to go and die! _I don't want that_!"

"I'm not the captain anymore! I won't be after what _you've done_!"

"I'd rather you be willing to come back to the ship, Luffy!" Nami clenched the bars as hard as her hands could, "I don't want to drag you out without giving you a choice here!"

"Like you ever gave me one when you lied about the flag!"

"I fucking get it, Luffy! It's my fault! **You hate me because of that**!"

Luffy went quiet from Nami's words, looking stupefied.

"N-Nami...!" Luffy stuttered, "I... That's wrong... I don't hate you...!"

"I wouldn't blame you if you did..." The orange-haired girl calmed down with a whisper, lifting her right hand up and placing it below her blackened right eye. Her digit almost traced the outline of the bruise. "I deserve far worse. But seeing you like this... That's punishment enough."

"That guy..." The black-haired boy set his eyes out the window, "He said he was sorry, but I didn't want to hear anything else from him. He made me angry, he made me turn out this way. It didn't matter if he wanted to make up for this."

"So it doesn't matter if we want to make up for lying to you?" Nami wore a despondent appearance as she fiddled with the key still inside the lock, slowly turning it.

'Please don't make me do this,' She thought to herself, 'Please don't force me to pull you out.'

"I-I don't know..." Luffy closed his eyes, "I don't know if I can forgive you this time. Part of me wants to because I care about you and the others, but..."

"Don't worry about that," After a quiet turn, Nami pulled the key out. "All I want for you is to come back. If it'll help, I'll leave the crew."

"WHAT?!" Luffy jerked his head around in shock, "You can't do that!"

"Why not?" The navigator peered at the elevator down the hall, "I've caused you enough grief as it is, and Zoro sure does hate me enough."

"Y-Yeah, you weren't exactly the greatest person on some days, but still... The ship needs a navigator! I need a navigator!"

"I thought you said you weren't the captain anymore."

"Huh?" Luffy blinked, realizing he contradicted himself. "Oh... W-Well... I..."

(BGM: Gold and Oden, One Piece)

Nami chuckled, shaking her head for a little while. "Relax, Luffy. Even I can be a hypocrite sometimes. But the point is, maybe you and the crew are better off without me."

"Without you? Come on. I'd be lost and I wouldn't know where to go if you weren't showing me the way."

"And without you, I would still be struggling to free my home."

Luffy allowed a little smile to run on his lips, taking a quiet breath to himself. Nami turned around and leaned against the bars with her back, feeling pitiful. Her eyes were concealed by the shadows underneath her hair.

"Hey, Luffy?"

"Yeah, Nami?"

"I've done you wrong. I know I hurt you in so many ways. From forcing a debt on you back on Drum Island, lying to your face about the flag being stolen, giving you the impression I didn't believe you could beat Shiki, and for insulting you. You're the captain, and I should've treated you with respect. What I did was unfair, rude, and it caused a rift in this crew."

'Nami...' Luffy silently thought, regarding her words. His green eyes darkened a little bit.

'Don't listen to her!' The negative voice yelled in the former captain's mind, 'She'll betray you again! That's all she's good for!'

"Honestly," Nami continued, "Keeping me around is too much trouble than it's worth. After remembering how I've acted, I don't think I belong here. But none of this is about me. It's about you."

The navigator paused to straighten herself out and look at Luffy.

"It's true, you're not as smart as everyone else. But even so, you're really strong. You even have a good heart. Something I obviously don't." Her eyes averted for a moment when she said that but went back to her captain's face. "Also, you've shown me that not all pirates are the same killers I see them as. There are some who are good, like you. I'm really glad that I met you when I did."

"Same here," Luffy replied, "You're a great navigator, even if you can be harsh sometimes. You just take this adventure too seriously, but being aware of the danger is what kept us alive, so..." He paused for a second, trying to find something to follow up with that. "I'm not good at this kind of thing."

"A person like you doesn't deserve to be in here. Not when you still have a shot at your dream. Luffy, I'll ask you again. Will you-"

"Excuse me," A calm voice called out, apparently walking out from the elevator. "I'm sorry to interrupt your speech. However, I'm afraid I have something against letting you walk out."

"Oh really?" Nami questioned, grabbing the Clima-Tact she dropped on the ground. "I take it you're Commander Beau-Père, the man in charge?"

"Yes," Beau-Père nodded, the light above him slightly flickering on and off. "I am nothing more to you than that."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	23. Ch 22- Hot Touch

**Chapter 22- Hot Touch**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

Scorcher, Beau-Père, Fixit, Seventy, William Henley, and the G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

With the Straw Hat Pirates' arrival at the G-13 Base, total mayhem came crashing at the marines stationed here. The first wave was outclassed by the others and taken out of the fight. However, Fixit, Seventy, and Scorcher came out of the main building to battle the intruders.

Right now, Scorcher was taking on Chopper and Franky at the same time, and had the upper hand.

"Tinder Boxing!" He took on a fighting stance, raising his forearms and clenching his fists. His feet moved up and down, sidestepping to the left and right, dodging Chopper's Heavy Point punches.

The marine then hit Chopper across his face twice with his left hand before attacking with a right jab. The doctor moved back a few steps until he tried to land a hard punch, only for Scorcher to catch it and throw him over his shoulder.

"Not good enough!" He chortled, but his cocky smile went out when he saw Franky's open left hand showing a cannon in his arm.

"Weapons Left!" The cyborg fired at the blonde, but the shot missed by a long shot. It did manage to hit the large pile of boxes that Nami hid behind when she snuck in the detention center, which went out with a bang. As in, a blazing combustion type of bang.

"Woah!" Scorcher exclaimed, "What was in those boxes?!"

"It was some belt grenades, sir!" A marine called out, clutching his rifle.

"Rhetorical question, soldier, but thanks!"

"Sir, those grenades were meant for us, mainly for you to use and train some recruits in handling them!"

"Oh..." The candle-haired marine sweatdropped, "Oh... ...dammit."

"Seriously," Chopper began to question, "Who keeps live bombs inside a base if they could blow up like that?!"

"For the record, we didn't expect an attack on our base after the last riot we had a few days ago!"

"So is that why you're security's crap?" The cyborg pondered aloud.

"Them's fightin' words! Black Match!" Scorcher charged at Franky, throwing multiple punches at his face and body. Franky managed to block some, but he still got hit by a few swings.

"Heavy Gong!" Chopper, in Heavy Point, rushed in with a punch, taking Scorcher off guard. He stumbled from the blow but shook it off and returned a punch to him. It wasn't the only thing he did, however.

"Mons Meg: Ash Cloud!" Using his cannons, he sprayed ash in front of him, blocking the doctor's vision.

"I can't see!" Chopper cried, blocking his eyes with a hand. He couldn't see a barrage of punches coming to him, and thus, he got knocked around badly. He grunted from at least twelve blows to his torso and his face before being grabbed from behind.

"Match Lock!" Scorcher got his opponent in an armlock and pulled him out of the ash cloud. Then, he turned around and slammed him into the dirt facefirst. "Kindle Slam!"

An inaudible sound came from Chopper as he struggled to move.

'Crap!' He cursed mentally, 'If I try to transform now, I'll still be stuck here!'

"Ocho Fleur!" From a distance, Robin sprouted eight arms to trap Scorcher and force him off the reindeer-human. "Franky, now!"

"Strong Right!" The cyborg fired his fist at the marine, knocking him away and sending him to his back.

"Hey!" Scorcher piped up, getting a glance at the archeologist. "That's a nice dress! Isn't it stylized like a ladybug?"

"Indeed it is," Robin replied, "Such a shame it's ruined by dirt, now."

"Of course that would happen. This is a battlefield now! But if I'm being honest, a dress like that doesn't make you come off as a fighter, much less a miraculous individual."

"_Wow_, Chopper," Franky sarcastically called out to the reindeer, "Look at this guy, using four to five syllables."

"I know," Chopper nodded, "I didn't think this candle head knew more than two. Three, maybe, but that was a stretch."

Scorcher gritted his teeth so hard he snapped the matchstick in his mouth in half.

"You think you're _so hilarious_, don't ya?" He growled, spitting out the tiny stick. "I make the jokes around here!"

"So does that mean _you're _the joke?" Chopper smirked, feeling proud of his remark. It sank when the marine ran right towards him, intent on clobbering him.

"I AIN'T NO JOKE!" He screamed, sending another barrage at him. "BLACK MATCH!"

Had the doctor not turn into Walk Point and dart away, he would've been pummeled beyond belief.

"That was close!" He muttered under his breath, "I can't trade insults with someone who can't dish what they take out!"

"Where are you going?!" Scorcher yelled, aiming his cannons at the reindeer.

"Mons Meg: Nets!" They fired nets with cables attached to them, though Chopper was able to dodge them, making the nets retract. Next, he switched to Brain Point and threw a Rumble Ball in the air and caught it in his teeth.

"Rumble Ball!" The minute he chomped on the ball, he went back into Walk Point and charged at Scorcher.

"Jumping Point!" When the candle-haired marine fired the nets once again, Chopper went into Jumping Point and leaped over them, landing in front of the marine.

"Oh, crap...!" He could only curse for a moment.

"Arm Point!" Chopper's frame became more muscular, especially around the arms, and he struck the marine in his chest with his hooves.

"Cloven Cross!" The attack connected, leaving an imprint similar to an X and pushing away Scorcher.

The soldier stumbled a few steps and braced for another blow.

"Cloven Roseo!" Chopper reeled his a hoof back and sent it into the marine's face, making him move further away. He proceeded to land some more hits on his foe for around thirty seconds until he switched to...

"Horn Point!" Then, the reindeer used his antlers to shove Scorcher and push him into a crate. He completed destroyed it with his back thanks to the effort Chopper put into pushing him around.

"E-Enough of this!" Scorcher stuttered, then got dropped to the ground. Chopper morphed into his jumping form and landed on top of his chest, hopped high into the air, and came crashing down on top with...

"Guard Point!" The impact of the fur didn't just damage Scorcher, it suddenly got heavy for him, and he had to turn his head to the side to avoid suffocating.

"GAH!" He cried, "This is embarrassing, getting beaten around by a furball!" He shoved Chopper off of him with an arm, though it wasn't easy for him to do.

The doctor transformed into Heavy Point and grabbed the soldier by his waist.

"Robin!" He called, "Get me some extra legs!"

"Roger!" Robin replied, sprouting legs underneath Chopper at a quick rate. "Pierna Fleur!"

"Robi-Cho Suplex!" The legs curved and Chopper came down to earth with the marine in tow, slamming him on his back.

"RAAAHHHH!" Scorcher screamed from the pain, his eyes turning blank white.

The reindeer went to Brain Point and stood up, brushing black ash and dust off his white shirt and blue tie.

"Whew!" He sighed, running to Franky and Robin. "I can't use another Rumble Ball and risk losing control of my transformations. I don't even want to think about using a third. But I think that took care of him."

"That was really something, Reindeer-Gorilla!" The cyborg raised did a thumbs-up, heedless of a soldier aiming a mortar at Robin, who has turned her attention to forcing a few marines into submission.

"Robin, look out!" Chopper quickly entered Guard Point and defended against the cannon blast meant for her. When the smoke cleared, the doctor was back in his Brain Point form.

"And my three minutes are done for tonight..." He murmured as Franky ran up to the marine and roughly beat him.

"My hero," Robin smiled, snapping Chopper out of his thoughts.

"S-Shut up!" He yelled, blushing from embarrassment and dancing happily. "Calling me a hero doesn't make me happy, you damn jerk!"

Chopper was so caught up in his own world, he failed to notice a net fired at him, ensnaring him in it and making him tumble towards the barrier of the base.

"By the way," Scorcher muttered, hunching his back. "Not dead from that. Thanks for playing, g'night."

"Oh no," Robin crossed her arms, "We shouldn't have taken our eyes off of you."

"Y'know, I hate to be the guy that breaks up a party," Scorcher stretched his back, hearing and feeling _something _straighten down there with a crack. "Mainly because I'm the life of the party. But this is business, and it's no screwing around for me now."

"Would you like me to straighten your back further?" Robin queried with a stern look, "It'll do wonders for you."

"I don't think you'd wanna touch me," The marine warned, tightening his black gloves. "You'd get burned. But then again, that might be only the second-worst thing you did in one day."

"A-And what was the first?" Robin made a big mistake asking that question, and Scorcher replied coldly...

"**Driving your own captain away and into our hands.**"

The archeologist trembled from the statement, glaring at the enemy and showing her teeth.

"I'll break you for that remark, you son of a b-!"

"Mons Meg: Ash Cloud!" Scorcher's cannons sprayed more ash around the field, engulfing Robin in it.

'Not good!' She thought, 'If I can't see him, I can't twist his bones!'

"Cien Fleur: Wing!" She tried sprouting a hundred arms on her body to create a gust of wind that could blow away the ash cloud, which was partially successful. The wings dissipated after a few seconds of use.

"Mons Meg: Nets!" Scorcher had snuck around behind Robin and fired nets from his cannons, ensnaring her arms and pulling her toward him!

"Match Lock!" He then lifted her by her arms, rendering her helpless. "Nothing against you, but I can't let you go on and cause trouble."

"Strong Right!" Franky shot his fist in the marine's face, forcing him to let go of Robin. The cyborg retracted his fist, punched him in the gut, and then uppercut him, pushing him back.

"Let me get you out of these!" Franky grabbed the cables pulling the nets and snapped them both in half. He also grabbed the nets themselves and discarded them.

"Thank you, Franky," Robin smiled, with the cyborg nodding in return.

Scorcher wiped the blood from his nose and went back in to attack, punching Franky straight in his face so hard he breaks his sunglasses! They hit the dirt floor as Franky stumbled, attempting to processing what just happened.

When he saw the damage done, saying he was pissed off would be an understatement.

"You broke my shades!" Franky bellowed, exposing his metal fist and punching Scorcher in his face. "No one breaks the shades! Strong Hammer!" The impact was enough to send the fool flying and skidding across the ground. His body stopped in front of a few marines.

"Sir!" A couple of men called out, shocked from witnessing Scorcher beaten bad.

"Now _that _was SUPER!" Franky stretched his legs, almost shaking his butt. He struck a pose and slammed his arms together. "Don't mess with my shades!"

"That won't stop him," Robin stated, "He's very durable!"

"Maybe, but so am I!" The cyborg struck another pose, "I can take him!"

"But I can't remove the net off of Chopper. Perhaps you should go free him while I-"

"I'll take care of this candle-head! Just keep the marines away from Chopper!"

"I feel that is a poor decision."

"Robin, he made the mistake of breaking my favorite shades. Between a couple of guys, that's personal."

"Well, I'll be damned..." Scorcher murmured, lifting himself up from the ground. He motioned for the soldiers behind him to back off. "That was some punch, Metal Man."

"I know," Franky responded, staring at his metal fist. He put the plate concealing his right hand back on it. "That was for my shades."

"I thought it would be for your captain?"

"Everything we do here is for him."

"Well, let me give you a reason why you might not win... I got superpowers."

"Y-You mean...?!" The cyborg blinked, almost taken off guard.

"No, I don't have a Devil Fruit, but this ability would make others think I do."

As the candle-haired marine explained, a black-and-white monochrome image played in the background. It comprised of a certain young man writing on a clipboard in a chair with Scorcher in front of him, sitting on a bed. The marine didn't have much soot covering his face, let alone him having his shoulder cannons mounted on his arms.

"You see, I got these powers from a mission that failed badly. I don't remember much of how I managed to get them, but I got the details from a smart chemist, William Henley."

"Oh goddammit," Franky cursed, "Not again with him."

"The gist was," Scorcher explained while some images played out, "From his understanding, a boiler on a battleship was filled with destructive chemicals from some crafty pirates, some of those substances involving mutation. He says one of those substances would be the key to mutate a human and give them superpowers, but not like how Devil Fruits do."

"And that's how you got those powers?"

"According to the little guy, I must've inhaled those fumes from the explosion of the boiler, and that caused my body temperature to rise. I made it go up when I didn't even know it!"

"That's hard to believe," Franky muttered.

"Coming from the cyborg whose friends with a transforming raccoon dog!"

"Reindeer, dickhead!" Chopper yelled behind Franky, until he collapsed with his tongue out. "Stupid Sea-Prism Stone net...!"

"Don't worry, Chopper," Robin reassured as she broke the backs of a few marines with her arms, "We'll get you out soon."

"If you're don't believe me," Scorcher chuckled, "How about a little demonstration?"

Just then, his body began to hiss and shoot steam out from his nostrils, ears, from every part of his body! The ground where he stood started heating up, leaving footprints that looked similar to grill marks on steak. Scorcher laughed and roared while the air around him swayed, with heat shooting out from his arms when he threw them up into the air!

"PYRO PUNK!"

"Holy crap!" The shipwright stared in awe, "His body... It's actually heating up!"

'Just like how Luffy's does...' He told himself as he remembered when Luffy performed a special ability.

_"Second Gear!"  
_  
"That's the idea, pal," Scorcher said, "I can raise my body temperature and make my body steaming hot. This makes me singe whatever I touch. Especially metal. If I raise my temperature high enough, I can make almost anything melt!"

"I believe it now!" Franky grit his teeth hard as he aimed his left arm at the marine, "I think you could melt my body with a few touches... But not if I hit you from a distance like this! Weapons Left!"

He fired his cannon three times, and the shots made their mark. However, though the smoke, he could see that Scorcher was unfazed by the blasts.

"Oh yeah," He pointed out, "That also means explosives, being combustible, won't have much of an effect on me. Same for any kind of cannonballs. Id est, your arsenal can't beat me."

"S-So what?!" Franky replied in a nervous sweat, "Just because you can raise your body temperature, that doesn't mean you don't have a limit! I'll just use some more of my moves until you can't take any more heat!"

"But you don't _know_ my limits, do you?" Scorcher pondered, smiling condescendingly. "You fight with your ammunition, you run the risk of running out of ammo before beating me. Besides, _I don't just have nets_."

"Huh?"

"Sure, I'm already a walking furnace. But with these babies," Scorcher flicked a switch on both of his shoulder cannons, "I'm a walking battleship cannon with a special fighting style."

"Quick Match!" Suddenly, he rushed Franky and delivered two punches to his chest, taking him off guard.

"Black Match!" Next, he sent a flurry of fists, striking the shipwright in his chest and face, and covertly removed a glove on his right hand. He waited for him to punch back, and he did.

"Hot Touch!" Scorcher caught the right fist with his own, and melted part of the skin!

"HEY!" Franky shouted, trying to pull his hand away, to no avail. "LET GO!" It was only by delivering a left hook to the marine he was released. After getting some distance, he looked at his hand, seeing his metal fist beneath the skin.

"Oh my god," He uttered, "He actually melted through it...!"

"And it's too late for you..." Scorcher took off the other glove and chucked it to the side, "I'm sure we can set up another cell with your name on it. Yours, and the rest of the crew."

"We'll see about that," Franky grumbled, tearing the skin off his hand. "If you went for Robin and Chopper instead of me, you would've won. But I'm stronger. Strong enough, at least, to beat you."

"Really, Metal Man?" Scorcher shrugged, "In case you haven't noticed, I can take anything you got. Whatever move you can use, it's a big gamble. You either run the risk of running out of ammo to defend yourself or me breaking your body apart until you can't do anything. Either way, I'm untouchable."

"You remind of somebody I hate who talks like he's high and mighty. But you know something? You're not so bad, compared to him. For a dirty guy, you're definitely prettier."

"W-What?" The candle-haired marine stifled a laugh, "I don't know what you're talking about, pal! I mean, I like you too, if you going where I think you're going. But not that way."

"Huh?" Franky became confused, "What do you mean, 'Going where I think you're going?' You're not making much sense."

"I mean, it's not that there's anything wrong with it, but I'd settle more for being bros."

"Bros are my thing! Also, what's with, 'Not that there's anything wrong with it?!' What are you implying?!"

"I thought you knew!" Scorcher threw his arms down in front of him, "That's why I said that!"

"Wait, wait, wait, back up. Didn't you say you 'Liked me too?' What did you mean?"

"You complimented me for my looks! Eargo, or however you say that word, that means you're hitting on me!"

"Wait, what?!" Franky realized the misunderstanding and responded as calmly as possible, "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!"

Would you believe as casually as possible?

"I-I wasn't hitting on you! It was just a compliment! I swear!"

"Oh~, okay!" Scorcher understood, "That makes sense. I just didn't want to get the wrong idea... Wait a second."

Perhaps he partially understood...

"What do you mean, 'You weren't hitting on me?!' Am I not good enough for you?!"

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous," Franky shook his head, "There's nothing wrong with going one way or the other. All you need to know is that we could've been bros if things were different."

"Yeah," Scorcher agreed, "We could've been bros. Nothing more than that. Not that there _was _anything wrong with the other way. Let's not make this a big deal.

'It could be too much to ask to _not _talk about this again,' He thought, rubbing his chin.

'Well, with that mess settled,' The cyborg got to thinking, turning around and opening the fridge in his stomach. He pulled out a bottle of cola and drank it down as quickly as possible. 'If I can't touch him without getting some damage on me, I'll have to hit him hard and fast. Maybe if I can use a Coup de Vent, I can end this!'

While he was thinking, he stopped to notice a small fireball coming right at him! He managed to dodge and roll out of the way as the fireball went past him and hit the wall. The ground went ablaze, affected by the blast.

"Oh crap, this guy has fireballs too?!" He exclaimed, turning right to see Scorcher holding down his right cannon with a dull expression.

"Oh, now you notice me," He dryly muttered.

"What the hell was that for, you bastard?!" Franky shouted, "You almost hit me in the back!"

"I had to get your attention. This was about to get boring."

"You don't attack a man when his back is turned!"

"No, Franky," Chopper sarcastically spoke with annoyance, "Don't remember I was behind you, that would be _too much_. Also..." He took a deep breath and yelled with bugged eyes, "SINCE WHEN COULD HE DO THAT?!"

"Sorry, Chopper!" Franky called from a distance, "I'll have you out soon!"

"I don't think you will!" Scorcher began exuding more steam from his body, aiming both cannons at his opponent. "Not with this form! Mons Meg: Fireball!"

He began launching fireballs, turning this part of the base into a barren war zone. Franky did avoid a few shots, but one of them managed to hit him in his chest.

"ARRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!" He screamed from the impact, falling to the ground. He rolled over, snuffing out the flames on his shirt. "That really hurt! It felt like the fire was gonna get into my body!"

"It hurt that bad, huh?" As Scorcher said that, he used his legs and the steam to propel himself next to the cyborg, much to his surprise. "Oh yeah, with my increased body temperature, I'm not just tough or stronger, but my speed and agility are better than above average!"

"I could tell..." Franky muttered, still on all fours. "You sent yourself flying like a bullet got shot from a rifle...!"

"Wait, I just realized something!" The marine proceeded to walk away from Franky, releasing steam from his body, cooling off. "I'll be right back!"

"Where are you going?!"

Scorcher just strolled past the strands of fire that stayed on the field and past Chopper, unable to do anything. Then, he stood at the entrance of the base, waving at Nico Robin, who was slapping around weak mooks like it was nobody's business.

"You know," He mused, "If I didn't have to do my job, I'd take you out to dinner!"

"In that outfit?" Robin questioned, "With that hair? I hope you don't have a fancy place in mind. You'd be thrown out before you even set foot."

Scorcher laughed up a storm before he turned to the bridge. "You're right! But whatever." He aimed his cannons and prepared to fire.

"Diez Fleur!" Robin restrained Scorcher with multiple arms, trying to break his back. "Clutch!"

"Really?" The marine didn't even miss a beat, slowly raising his own temperature. "Not on the first date! At least get to know me!" Soon enough, he became to hot for Robin to handle, and she was forced to cancel her powers on him.

"I can't touch him now!" She seethed, rubbing her arms. "He's too hot!"

"I said you wouldn't want to touch me, 'cause you'd get burned!"

"Get away from that bridge!" Franky got up to try and tackle Scorcher, but it was too late."Get off me!" Scorcher got desperate, making attempts to worm his way out of Franky's grasp. He managed to get free, but only through touching a part of his back.

"**AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

Franky rolled off his foe and along the ground, writhing and screaming bloody murder.

Zoro and Brook halted their dueling with Fixit to see their friend in pain.

"Franky!" The skeleton cried, running toward him and leaving Zoro behind.

"Brook, get back here!" He shouted, blocking another baton strike from Fixit.

"Look away from me again," The mechanic said, "And you will join him in the dirt. In a fight such as this, you can't avert your gaze!"

"You think I don't know that, smartass?!" Zoro pushed him back and tried to swipe Shusui at him, only for him to dodge it.

On the walls, Usopp saw the commotion playing out for his eyes. There was a fire on the bridge, from what he gathered, and he saw Franky get burned by one of these strong marines.

"This is bad...!" He quivered, "We're all trapped here now!"

"He's right," Seventy concurred, swinging his bazooka across Sanji's face and kicking him away.

"W-What the hell...?" The cook grunted as he stood up, "Are you talking about?"

"Scorcher set the drawbridge on fire, meaning you're trapped with us."

"Us trapped with you?" Sanji almost chuckled, "Don't kid yourself, you overgrown meathead."

Taking offense to that, Seventy fired another cannonball at Sanji, who simply kicked it back to him. He dodged the rebound, and the two went back in for another clash.

Back down...

"Franky!" Brook kneeled to the shipwright's level alongside Robin, looking at a few small burn marks on the lower back on his left. They looked like fingers pressed down in there. "Oh, my lord... His skin...!"

"It really stings...!" Franky seethed, almost on the verge of crying from the pain. "This shouldn't be as bad as getting ran over by the Sea Train, but...!"

"Don't talk!" Robin commanded, "Save your strength!"

"That man over there..." Brook murmured, glancing at Scorcher and grasping his sword. "He did this to you... Such a disgraceful attack from behind! I'll deal with-!"

"**No,**" Franky lifted himself up, growling through the burning itch. "**He's mine!**"

"Franky, he knows you're vulnerable in the back," Robin stated, "Let Brook take your place!"

"Nico Robin," The cyborg said with a serious expression, "I can't let this slide. He's a man, but I forced him to do something unmanly: Attack me in my back. He was only desperate, and I understand that. I won't let that happen again."

He struck his signature pose and announced to the world...

"I'll kick this guy's ass in the only manly way I know! THE SUPER WAY!"

Scorcher blinked, very much bewildered as the others were. However, he smirked and strutted up to the cyborg, who went up to him as well. When they stopped, the two of them stood about twelve feet away from each other.

"I gotta say," He told his foe, "That was a nice speech. You think you can beat me the manly way?"

"I faced guys shorter and bigger than you," Franky replied, "I'm sure I can."

"By the way, I'm sorry for burning you in your back like that."

"It's alright. As long as it doesn't happen again."

Scorcher pounded his chest with his right hand, "You have my word as a man that I won't burn your back. So, as a show of me being a good sport, I'll let you take the first swing at me."

'I can't win as long as this guy can take me apart with his heat!' Franky thought to himself, 'Maybe I can nullify his powers with a Coup de Vent...!'

"How about I shoot you with something I've been saving up?"

"What do you got?"

Franky pulled out a T-shaped pipe and connected it to both of his arms, and charged his shot. His already large forearms grew bigger, and he was ready to fire.

"Oh-ho-ho!" Scorcher laughed as he increased his body temperature again, "That's interesting! Either I'll feel something rough me up, or I'll feel letdown."

"Ain't ya feeling a breeze in the air?" The cyborg questioned, "Well guess what? You'll be feeling a gust of wind blow you away in a minute!"

"Well," Brook spoke up, "I'll go back to helping Zoro, assuming my presence around him is needed at all."

"I only hope Franky has a plan for what will happen _if _this man gets up again..." Robin muttered, heading back to guard Chopper.

"Coup de Vent!" Franky shot a blast of air from the pipe, which traveled until it hit Scorcher.

"GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

He was taken off of his feet instantly. The air nullified the heat shield that made him untouchable, making the impact of the blast that much greater to him. The marine fell on his back in a heap, almost knocked unconscious.

'That was some shot...!' He told himself, panting heavily. 'Now that I think about it, that blast felt like I got hit by a... A blast from a boiler blowing up!'

At that moment, so many memories of that fateful day came back into his mind.

XXX

Several marines were caught in the blast radius of the boiler, instantly dead from it. However, Scorcher was sent flying into a wall and he recoiled, his skull colliding with it. He wasn't knocked out, but his senses began to grow hazy.

The fumes of the explosion filled the room, and Scorcher got up, though he breathed in some of them. He coughed and stumbled for the exit, but the door was locked.

_"Those assholes locked the door!" He growled, "They set us up! We were walking into a trap from the start!"_

_He backed up and tried to body slam the door, but it wouldn't budge._

_"GODDAMN IT!" The tall, young blonde with short hair balled his fists and hit the door, "HELP! SOMEONE! COMMANDER! FIXIT! SEVENTY, YOU BIG BASTARD, HELP ME!"_

_The smoke got heavier and the fire from the boiler spread out to the room, and slowly cornered Scorcher. It caused him to panic even more._

_"HACK! HACK-HACK!" He coughed violently, "GOD...! I DON'T WANNA DIE HERE!"_

_He pressed his hands against the door, believing he could push it. Just then, something strange happened._

_"It's getting hot...! It's getting hot! It's... ...Not?"_

_Scorcher felt the temperature of the room die down. It didn't make sense. The fire's still burning behind him, but he can't feel the heat anymore. He can't feel any sweat pour down from his head, his hands were melting through the door, and..._

_"M-My hands!" Scorcher saw as his hands steamed up, driving into the door with ease. In fact, the steam generated from his hands made the door slowly melt like the wax under a lit candle's flame._

_In no time at all, he tore into the door, running out of the room before the fire caught him, not that it could burn him now._

_'I-I don't get it,' He thought as he ran, what happened-?"_

_The memory stopped there when a silhouette approached behind him and delivered a heavy object to his cranium.  
_

XXX

"So..." Scorcher's brain came back to the present, lifting himself up. "That's how I got those powers...!"

He glanced behind him, seeing the illumination of fire from the ground behind him.

"Fire... So terrifying to feel, yet so beautiful to watch... I always loved the sight of it, though I was afraid of dying from it. Now I can, in some way or another, become a part of it."

"Hey!" Franky called out, cracking his metal knuckles. "Are we doing this or what?"

"Now that I think about it," Scorcher hopped onto another subject, raising his voice. "Your captain is feeling like crap. From my guess, it's because you made him leave! But here you are, coming here to rescue him! Why is that?!"

"Because he's our friend!" The cyborg answered, "We do care about him, even if he doesn't think so right now!"

"If he's your friend as you say, then why did you drive him away?"

"He ran off on his own because he got mad at us! Because we lied to him bad!"

"Hmm," Scorcher crossed his arms, "I'd probably do the same thing in his shoes. I can't stand being kept out of the loop, and I'm the stupid one in my group!"

"I wouldn't like it, either," Franky closed his eyes, "I should've told him from the start."

"Yeah, this sucks. And if you lose, it'll suck more because the little guy's gonna be executed in front of the world at Marineford."

"W-WHAT?!" Franky exclaimed, staring slack-jawed. "THEY'RE GONNA DO THAT?!"

"Uh-huh," The marine nodded, "The fleet admiral has it arranged to show everybody that the marines aren't weak, let alone the World Government. It's messed up 'cause he saved our commander's home, saved a country from Crocodile, and beat up Shiki before something else bad happened. But then again, he declared war on the World Government and destroyed Enies Lobby."

"But that last part's bullshit!" Franky yelled, swatting his arm. "Spandam's the one who got Enies Lobby destroyed! That little bastard's responsible for-!"

"If that's true, then the report we got is bogus. But we can't prove a thing, not now that CP9's members are all fugitives, with the exception of the director."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh yeah," Scorcher murmured, "CP9's assassins survived the Buster Call, but they're all on the run now. If what you say is true, then Spandam blamed the failure of the capture of Nico Robin on them."

"Why am I not surprised?" Robin shook her head, exasperated. At the same time, she sprouted legs from the ground that jabbed into the groins of a few soldiers. Their screams could be heard from the background.

"That little bastard!" Franky balled his fist up, "That just makes me angrier!"

"Then take that aggression," Scorcher got into a fighting stance, "Use it on me, and we'll see if you win or not. If you do, then nobody can stop you from saving Monkey D. Luffy."

"Yeah," Franky raised his fists, "He'll be saved. I have faith."

'And I'm not sure if I do,' The candle-head sighed, 'Gonna have to tell the commander about what I heard when this is over. Win or lose.'

'I can't use anymore cola,' Franky whispered internally, 'But I still got my ammo. And I think that last blast of Coup de Vent took out his powers.'

(BGM: Boss Battle 1, One Piece: Unlimited Adventure)

The two went up to each other for round two, feet moving up and down, ready to dodge at a moment's notice.

"Franky Boxing!"

"Tinder Boxing!"

Fists began flying. Scorcher blocked a punch on his right and sent his fist into Franky's face. But the next time around, the cyborg did a gut punch with a left hand.

The marine's punches grew to a fast rate, as did his opponent's. Soon enough, the two of them fought at the same pace, with some fists connecting with the desired hits, and others were blocked off.

"W-Wow..." Chopper could see them from his cable prison, "That's really cool..."

'We're both going back and forth!' Franky thought as he sent a right hook across the taller man's jaw, 'He might be stalling me until he gets his powers back! But maybe we'll both see how well that goes!'

'I may not have my powers now,' Scorcher thought as he blocked another hit and delivered a one-two combo the cyborg's face, 'But I can go back and forth until I get them back. Better avoid his extra ammunition, though. If he hits my canister...'

Franky jumped back and twisted his left arm, slightly moving it up and revealing four small holes.

"Beans Left!" Then, four small pellets fired like they came from a machine gun and blew up upon contacting with Scorcher!

"Hey!" Scorcher dusted himself, "You're lucky this black vest is bulletproof and blastproof!"

"Strong Right!" Ignoring that, Franky shot his right fist into Scorcher's chest, then swung it like a flail and into his's enemy's side.

"GUH!"

"Weapons Left!" Franky fired with his left hand open once again, blowing Scorcher back with three shots.

"Now that's you're normal," He shouted as the marine jumped back up, "Try this! Franky Destroy Cannon!"

He unveiled cannons embedded into his shoulders, beginning to run and try shooting at him.

"Oh god!" Scorcher could only run as Franky fired at the ground, "Please give me back my powers! Please give me back my powers! Please give me back my powers! Please give me back my powers!"

"What are you shouting?!"

"If I keep shouting that phrase, then I'll get my powers back!" Scorcher replied, returning to his mantra.

"That's not how it works, idiot!" The cyborg opened up his left finger and tried to shoot at him. However, Scorcher dashed out of the line of fire with steam emitting from his legs.

"Crap!" He cursed under his breath, "He got them back!"

"Welp," Scorcher loudly mused, jetting around in a zigzag fashion. "I'm back and packing heat! You fought a good fight, but now it's time to end it!"

"Something we both can agree on," Franky raised a thumb up before turning it down. "'Cause you're going down!"

The marine shook his head over Franky's claim, before aiming and firing at him once more. "I think not! Mons Meg: Fireball!"

Franky managed to dodge the ball via somersault and opened up his left hand to fire.

"Weapons Left!" He fired a few shots, intentionally hitting Scorcher.

"What the hell?!" He laughed, "What are you trying to do?!"

"Even the playing field!" Franky retorted, suddenly shooting fire out of his mouth. "Fresh Fire!"

It went through Scorcher, no so much as even leaving a mark on him.

"Mons Meg: Propane Torch!"

His cannons began spitting flames out once more, igniting the ground again. Franky dodged, careful not to have it catch his shirt and by extension, his back.

He secretly opened up his left finger and attacked with his right fist once more.

"Strong Right!" This time, the cyborg swung it at the cannons before pulling it back, predicting the marine was ready to catch it. Then, he retracted and fired it again, only he shot at the legs, tripping the marine and making him meet the dirt.

"OOF!" He grunted, hearing the sound of a bullet hit the metallic barrel on his back! "Aw crap!"

***BOOM!*  
**  
A hiss rang out, followed by a large explosion.

Franky didn't need to see the damage to know what happened, his ears ringing was proof enough. He looked at his open left finger and closed it back up.

"Ouchie Finger," He whispered.

The demolition man picked himself up, though not without considerable effort, and walked out of the inferno. He wasn't burned badly, seeing as his heat shielded him.

"My canister..." Scorcher, with shadowed eyes, pulled off the cannons on his shoulders to survey the damage. He looked down next to him and saw the large canister he carried on his back in pieces, possibly due to the damage done. "My cannons... You actually destroyed them. Now I can't use them..."

"Well, how do ya like that?" Franky chuckled, "A little firework for a guy who loves 'em. Guess the playing field's even now."

Scorcher looked up, grinning as his body temperature rose up to that of a burning furnace. He discarded his weapons with a chuckle, followed by a roar of intensity.

(BGM: Karakuri Defense System, Deploy!, One Piece Movie 7)

"I GUESS IT IS, METAL MAN!" He bellowed, placing his arms in front of him. "BUT NOW IT'S _**REALLY **_TIME TO END IT!"

"Oh crap," Franky sweat-dropped in the tense moment, "Here it comes."

The marine's hands were heating faster and hotter than his own body, creating a dense cloud of steam around his hands. He continued to concentrate on making it as heavy as possible, until the right possible time. A few seconds later...

"HEAT WAVE!" He launched a blistering blast at Franky, causing him to slightly get pushed back. The steam from his hands launched straight up into the air, leaving Scorcher.

"Goddammit, that's hot!" The cyborg exclaimed, feeling the heat melt his skin and armor underneath! He could even see it all unfold on his exposed right hand! "If I don't end this now...!"

Franky began toughing out the stroke, trudging slowly towards Scorcher. He covered his face with his large elbows, approaching blindly, step by step until he grabbed his sideburns.

"Franky Triangle Jacker!" Afterward, he sent them out to hit Scorcher, but missed by a few inches.

"Getting tired yet, Metal Man?!" Scorcher cackled insanely, "I'M ONLY GETTIN' **_WARMED UP!_** **HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!**"

"I ain't tired yet, you crazy bastard!" Franky retorted, before beginning to shoot something from his mouth.

"Master Nail Gun!" He fired a barrage of nails right into Scorcher's face. However, what he counted on was the marine's reflex to guard it, and it's just what he did.

"AAHHHHH!" Scorcher shouted, seeing his flesh pierced by the large nails. "MY HANDS!"

"Franky Centaur!" The cyborg split open his legs, and ran to subdue the boiling bruiser before him. He jumped, allowing his front legs to lock his arms down, while his back legs took care of Scorcher's legs. Next, he pinned him down to the dirt on his back.

"Now it's over!" Franky prepared to pound his metal fist into Scorcher's skull, "Say goodnight, Gracie!"

"Well, I guess you're the winner!" Scorcher yelled, grinning wildly. "Better finish it if you don't wanna melt! COME ON! **DO IT!**"

"ULTIMATE HAMMER!"

Franky slammed his fist into Scorcher's face as hard as he could, sending his body into the ground. The impact resulted in a large crater forming in its wake, driving the defeated marine further down.

The cyborg crawled out of the hole he created, panting hard and tired.

"I did it," The cyborg murmured, "I got him. That was for you, Luffy."

His separated legs reconnected, and Franky got up, looking at his beaten foe, who wore a goofy expression upon his defeat.

"You are one wild sonnovabitch," He told him, even though he wouldn't be listening right now. "But you are a man. I'm glad I met you. If I met marines who had your heart, maybe I would've wanted to become one. But in another lifetime."

Finished with his monologue, he began walking towards Chopper and Robin, pulling the Sea-Prism Stone net off the reindeer.

"Are you alright, Chopper?" He got down on a knee to look closely at him.

"I'll be fine," The doctor responded, "Thanks. It took you long enough, though."

"Yeah, sorry I kept ya waiting," Franky nodded, looking to Robin. "The drawbridge got burned up thanks to that guy, though."

"We're effectively trapped," The archeologist mused, "Unless I create a bridge with my arms."

"Can you do that?" Chopper questioned, beginning to grow worried.

"It will take an abundance of concentration, but yes, I can do it. Though William Henley could help us, we shouldn't expect him to."

"So, in other words, you're the only one who can get us out of here?"

"Provided there aren't any more marines around this area."

"Then let's take care of them first before Nami gets Luffy out here!"

"Are you going to join in, Franky?" Robin asked, seeing the shipwright rest against the wall next to the exit of the base.

"If it's all the same with you," He said, "I'm going to rest here. I don't have any more cola, and I don't have much ammunition left to help you fight. I can make sure no one comes over here and cause some trouble for us."

"Of course!" Chopper chirped, "You're a super guy, Franky!"

"Thanks, Reindeer-Gorilla..." Franky smiled, looking up to the detention center.

'We're waiting for you to return, Luffy!' He shouted in his mind, 'Come on back to us!'

XXX

Meanwhile, inside a battleship...

"He's over here!" A marine yelled, firing his rifle.

"Dammit, I don't have time for this!" Henley dodged the shot and responded with around three small spheres of cobwebs, knocking the soldier out. "Cobweb Muskets!"

As he used his spider legs and crawled on the ceiling upside-down, he could see more soldiers running through the halls, some bigger than the others.

'This is not what I expected when I got in here...' He thought to himself, 'Here's hoping Beau-Pére takes his time with Nami and doesn't just throw her in a cell before I get there!'

Scorcher has been defeated by Franky, but Beau-Pére remains, along with his other top men, Seventy and Fixit, both of whom stronger than the candle-haired marine.

On the ninth floor, Nami stands with her Clima-Tact against the approaching commander. She knows that this man stands between her and Luffy's freedom, but how will she endure in a fight she cannot win at her current state?

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	24. Ch 23- Nami vs Beau-Père

**Chapter 23- Nami vs. Beau-Père**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

Beau-Père, William Henley, and Ashley © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Author's Note: I thought I'd wait a little longer before I upload this chapter, maybe later this week, but what the heck? No harm in spoiling you guys.

* * *

The mood quickly became tense when Beau-Père arrived on the ninth floor of the G-13 Base. Nami raised her weapon as cautiously as possible, stepping a little away from the cell.

"Well, this is extremely uncomfortable," The commander stated, jokingly. He felt his nerves calm, but there was still some fear in him. He had to fight his sister's daughter, and keep the boy who saved her behind bars. The thought made him visibly sweat.

"How did you get past the battle downstairs?" Nami wondered, "Wouldn't the others have seen you?"

"I move completely fast, I'll have you know," Beau-Père answered, "Besides that, I tend to show up unexpectedly."

'Gee, who got that from you?' The navigator murmured in her mind before speaking up, "I'm right in assuming you have the keys to Luffy's cuffs?"

"Yes, you'd be correct," Beau-Père nodded, "I have _the key_. Singular."

"You're beginning to come off as patronizing," Nami clutched the Clima-Tact as hard as she could, "I don't like it."

"Thought you'd like to know that it's only one key, that's all."

"Nami, are you really going to fight this guy?" Luffy questioned, taking his eyes off the commander for a moment.

"I'll do whatever it takes," The navigator confirmed, charging right at him. She swung her weapon, attempting to clock Beau-Père's face.

"Iron Body."

The Clima-Tact hit Beau-Père's face, but he did not wince from the pain. In fact, it appeared she didn't hurt him at all, despite landing the blow.

"Oh crap," Nami cursed, pulling back. "Your powers are just like those assassins in CP9, aren't they?"

"Yes, they are," Beau-Père almost smirked, taking pride in his skills. "On top of that, I can determine a person's Power Level from observing their skills. If I wanted to, I'd tell by looking at them, but that would be _patronizing_."

"We'll see about that!" Nami quickly performed a leg sweep with her right leg, but the commander hopped over it, with one foot.

"Tempest Kick!" One kick to the stomach was enough for Nami to be pushed back, coughing.

"Nami, are you alright?!" Luffy called out, concerned.

"Ugh, I'm fine," She gave him a quick thumbs-up, holding her bruise. "I should've guessed you got beaten by a guy like him!"

"Technically, I didn't beat him through strength and speed," Beau-Père stated for the record, "I only did so through planning. His Power Level, from what I gather, is only supposed to be at two thousand. Then again, he did beat Rob Lucci, who was at twice his supposed level."

"Four thousand?!" Nami queried in surprise, "And I had trouble fighting one of the weakest of that group!"

"Kalifa, Power Level at 630. I read the files on them. Take a guess where my number is."

"Are you trying to discourage me from fighting you for the key?!" Nami started to get a little angry, "This isn't the first time, you know!"

"True, but you may as well consider it. After all, my level is at least four times hers."

"W-What?!"

"Wait a second!" Luffy interjected, "When we fought, you said you weren't like Pigeon Guy!"

"I wasn't," Beau-Père told, "I happen to be more empathetic than him." He looked back at Nami. "That's why I'm allowing you to leave, without your captain."

"N-Not happening!" Nami slightly quivered from intimidation, but she steeled herself.

'I did not come all this way to give up!' She thought, 'Whether six hundred or six thousand, I won't back down to someone like him!'

"Thunder Charge!" The top of Nami's weapon crackled with electricity, and she sent the rod out to hit Beau-Père.

"Shave!" Except he disappeared before it hit him.

Nami pulled back the rod through the cord in time to swing it behind her when the commander appeared to strike!

"Swing Arm!" A surging shock coursed through Beau-Père's body, brightening the room for a moment.

"AAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!" He cried out, plummeting to the tile floor of the hall and flailing for a moment. "Oh god, that hurts! It beats getting struck by lightning, but still! Not fun!"

"Wait, you got struck by lightning?" Luffy queried, "I had that happen to me a couple of times! It didn't do much, though."

"That's why you have the Gum-Gum Fruit, Luffy," Nami answered, "But you already figured on that."

Beau-Père then backflipped off the ground and got some distance away from the navigator.

"Okay," He began demanding, "You have an impressive weapon. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you keep going with an effort that may prove fruitless. So will you just quit?"

"No," Nami said again, running to attack Beau-Père once more.

"Paper Arts," Beau-Père dodged left and right easily as Nami swiped at him with her weapon. She kept going several times until she quickly disassembled the top of her weapon.

"Thunder Ball!" She quickly fired a ball of lightning at Beau-Père, getting him electrocuted again. As he was stunned, Nami put the weapon together and swing it in his face. She also kicked him in his stomach, punched him while holding the weapon, and sent her heel to his side.

The commander slammed against the bars as Nami decked him in his nose. As blood began to drip from his nose, he quickly grabbed Nami's right hand when she tried to hit him again. He pushed her away and went in to punch her with his right fist, hitting her across her face.

"NAMI!" Luffy shouted in worry, seeing Beau-Père take hold of her arm and send her forward.

"Iron Single Action Gun!" He clenched his fists and his arms above one another. One of them was underhanded, whereas the other was overhanded, not too different from Rob Lucci's ultimate attack. Then, a tremendous shockwave shot from his knuckles, pushing Nami back down the hallway. She went a good fourteen yards from Beau-Père before landing on the floor.

"Nami!" Luffy cried, then looked back to Beau-Père. "You bastard! How can you do that?!"

"Don't worry," He replied, wiping the blood from his nose. "That's usually one of my strongest attacks, but I modified it for her."

"M-Modified, huh?" Nami picked herself up, slightly seething from touching her cheek. "I'm not looking forward to the true version, then."

"Well, I've figured out your Power Level, sort of. Five hundred is the minimum to be qualified as superhuman."

"And mine is lower than that, isn't it?"

"I can't seem to tell if you're at three hundred, above that, or below. You would be slightly above four hundred if you devoted your time to fighting, but you've likely squandered your potential at superhuman strength by fighting with that toy."

"Way to be a downer, commander," Nami began to quip, almost grinning slyly. "You must be the party pooper everyone invites just because a party needs one."

'I've got an advantage, though,' She thought, 'As long as I play it right, I won't have to waste my stamina trying to outlast an opponent stronger than me.'

"Nami, you should get outta here," Luffy suggested, interrupting her thoughts.

"What?!" Nami got taken off guard, "Not you too, Luffy!"

"We both know this guy is stronger than you can even hope to match him in!" The former captain argued.

"You fight people stronger than you all the time!" Nami fired back, careful not to let her eyes escape Beau-Père.

"Yeah, and I'm clearly stronger!"

(BGM: Encounter, Metal Gear Solid)

"Tempest Kick Chakram!" The commander launched a series of kicks, letting out a blue surge of energy in the form of jagged circles with holes in the center. The chakrams spun toward Nami, who jumped out of the way of some, getting a part of her shirt torn on her front.

"Can we not do this now?!" Nami questioned, blocking a kick from Beau-Père with her weapon. "I'm in the middle of something!"

"Finger Pistol Single Action!" Beau-Père put his index and middle finger together, with some form of invisible energy gathering around them, and tried to jab it in Nami's shoulder. She dodged it, or so she thought.

A strange, invisible burst erupted from the commander's fingers, pushing Nami back a few feet before she landed on the ground.

"What was that?!" She looked around her body, seeing there were no holes anywhere on her.

"My variation in Finger Pistol doesn't call for piercing flesh and bone," Beau-Père explained, "But then again, the Six Powers weren't all I've learned."

"S-So you have more power than I think you do," Nami concluded, before attempting another leg sweep that failed again.

"Moon Walk!" The commander hopped in the air for a while before allowing himself to fall. It appeared he would fall facefirst, but he somersaulted a little before bringing both heels down to the floor of white squares.

"Tempest Kick Iron Hinds!" The kick created two cracks where Nami initially stood. She wasn't anywhere to be seen now.

"Where did she-?" Beau-Père couldn't finish his question, seeing as he was punched in the stomach by something invisible to him. Next, he was hit in the face and kicked in one of his shins.

"GRRR!" He growled from the pain, then was suddenly yanked by his hair and was flung into the bars with a loud clang.

"Mirage Tempo," Nami stood right next to him as he brushed off the pain. Beau-Père attempted a small gut punch to Nami, only for his fist to go through the fabrication and into one of the bars.

"Okay," He seethed from the impact of bone meeting cold metal, "This is beginning to get troublesome."

Beau-Père saw Nami stick her tongue out at him, and went to do a leg sweep kick on her. The mirage of her dissipated when his legs went through hers.

"Not fun when you miss, is it?" Nami's voice called out, and then the commander fell to the ground, having been swept down by Nami.

"Did you just do a leg sweep again, Nami?!" Luffy exclaimed, almost out of exasperation.

"I finally got one in!" She cheered, making sure she wasn't anywhere near Beau-Père when he jumped back up.

"Tempest Kick Puma Prints!" He performed a barrage of kicks in midair in front of him, missing every single one of them. He landed on his feet, stomping to Luffy's cell.

"You won't get anywhere near here," He declared, beginning to transform. "Cat-Cat Fruit: Model Puma!"

"Oh, crap!" Luffy cursed, "Nami, get outta here!"

"I said I'm not leaving!" The navigator yelled from somewhere in the room. Beau-Père used his nose and sniffed for the girl.

"I have your scent," He muttered, stepping away from Luffy's cell. He spun around, swinging his tail, and sent out another shockwave in his left direction.

"Tempest Kick Puma Tail!" Nami saw the blast coming and managed to duck in time. Her invisibility ended soon after she ducked, however. In this moment, she took apart her weapon, piece by piece.

"Nami, please stop!" Luffy yelled, "You could die from these attacks if this guy weren't holding back! I don't want that!"

The orange-haired girl simmered from Luffy's pleas, starting to become increasingly frustrated with fighting Beau-Père.

"Luffy, I'm sorry," She began, "But I'm afraid I can't do that."

"W-What?" Luffy questioned.

"You said you didn't hate me..." Nami continued, "But I know you do, somewhere in your mind. And I'm sorry for acting the way I did during all of those times!"

"Hold on," Beau-Père morphed back into his human form, becoming confused. "Are you two doing this now?"

"Shut up!" Nami bellowed at the commander before turning her sights to the former captain, "Luffy, I might not have shown it a lot of times, but I really am thankful you entered my life when you did! If you still doubt me, then I'll prove it to you!"

'What does she mean, prove it...?' Luffy thought, almost sweating. For some reason, he wouldn't like the next thing that leaves her lips...

"I don't want you to die here, let alone anywhere. I want you to live and achieve your dream! That's why... I'll do whatever it takes to save you!_** I'm ready to die for you!**_"

A significant amount of color dropped from Luffy's skin and he grew cold with fear, shocked Nami would actually suggest that. Even Beau-Père was surprised by the declaration she made, so much he didn't take notice of the cloud above him, let alone a yellow ball of lightning heading toward it!

"Thunderbolt Tempo!" Soon enough, bright yellow bolts dropped down to the ground on top of the commander, who screamed from the electrocution. He collapsed as smoke rose from his body, disappearing in the air.

"N-Nami...!" Luffy shuddered, "Y-You actually mean that?!"

"If there's one thing I know now," The navigator said as she kept an eye on Beau-Père, "It's that I care about you more than I thought I did. Although, I didn't expect to care so much for you. But that doesn't make a difference now. Just so you can live, I need to do whatever it takes!"

'I need to get the key to Luffy's cuffs!' She thought, 'It'll be hard, but hopefully not Enies Lobby hard!'

"Grrrrr..." Beau-Père growled, attempting to bear with the pain. He stood back up, throwing away the marine coat clinging to his back.

"Oh, you're back up already."

"Yes, I am..." Beau-Père's eyes darkened, transforming into his puma hybrid form. "It takes more than that to render me unconscious. But if it's any consolation, that was severely painful."

He proceeded to get on all fours and dart at Nami. He swatted at her but missed, seeing as she moved to the side.

The navigator twirled her rod, firing another thunder ball, except Beau-Père was quick enough to move out of the way. He appeared behind her and used his tail to ensnare her waist, lifting her up to his level.

"Puma Palm Barrel!" He curled his fingers and exposed his palm, thrusting it forward. It didn't just strike Nami's stomach, it sent her flying again with a layer of air pushing her along, at least until she landed back on her rear.

"Ugh, this isn't going well," Nami slightly shook her head, winded. "Another move I don't know about?"

'I still don't exactly understand how this form of Armament Haki works,' Beau-Père thought to himself, 'But how I can use it to battle without causing critical injuries is enough.'

"Perhaps you'll find out," He answered directly, "If you can defeat me."

Nami put her weapon together again and defended herself from Beau-Père's kicks and palm strikes, whether through dodging or blocking. She attempted to find a few openings to hit back, only for the commander to utilize Iron Body to lessen any damage done to him.

'Damn it!' Nami cursed, backflipping for a few yards. 'I can't go back and forth like this! I need to get that key from him before he takes me down!'

As the two continued clashing with each other, Luffy watched the action, looking impressed.

"Nami's really giving it her all..." He mumbled, "She really does care about me if she's working this hard at it. The same probably goes for the others outside..."

'You can't actually believe that!' The negative voice in his mind protested, making Luffy convulse for a moment. 'They're all liars! They strung you along like a puppet! You can't even believe that they-!'

"Stop for a second, dammit...!" Luffy seethed, shaking his head. "Let me think...!"

When the other side of him went quiet, the black-haired boy had his chance to look back on the days before his situation. He remembered how he acted to most of them when he found out they lied to him. He made his intent to hold that against them, but not to Chopper or Brook.

"Those two didn't lie to me... Chopper only knew after the incident, but he was too scared to tell me. Brook wasn't around at that time, and he didn't like what the others did."

'So?' The negative side of him scoffed, 'If Brook were there, he'd turn on you, like the others.'

"Turn?" Luffy questioned, "He had respect for me, even though I'm a moron!"

'So did _Zoro_, and look what happened.'

"He was ashamed for lying to me, as far as I know. Everyone who took part in that scheme had different reasons for lying to me, but they were mainly afraid of what would happen if I found out."

'But who said she felt _amused_ over tricking you? It was one _Nico Robin_, wasn't it?'

"Yeah, but she feels terrible for getting off on that."

'Maybe she only said that because she got caught in that lie. She knows what to say around you. Same for that long-nosed idiot and that useless bitch of a navigator.'

Luffy got pissed from his inner self saying that, so he slammed himself into the stone wall behind him.

"Don't talk about them like that...!" He growled, "I can't believe you're me if you can say those things without guilt...!"

'But I am you, Luffy. We hate those people for how they hurt us! They're no different from when Ashley tried to kill us!'

"They ARE different. They're not like her."

"What about _Nami_? She and Ashley look alike."

"It's the eyes," Luffy answered.

'Oh, right,' The voice seemingly agreed, 'Ashley may have orange hair, but her eyes were gray, not brown.'

"I meant what I could see from the eyes. When I remember Ashley, all I saw was _hatred _for me. But when I see Nami... I see someone different. Someone who needed help."

'You are a poor judge of character, Luffy.'

"Maybe I am. Maybe not."

'What are you saying?!' The negativity tried to kick some more, 'There's no in-between!'

"These guys are taking a chance," Luffy muttered, "Attempting to rescue me like this... ...When this is over, I want to talk to Nami."

'What?!'

"When they get me out of here, I want to try talking to Nami. I've got a few more things to say to her. Things I want to ask."

'What else is there to say?! You told her to screw off!'

"But she's here, fighting with them. Fighting with my crew."

'They're not _your _crew anymore! You said-'

"You're not involved in this anymore..." Luffy told his other side, "I know what I said. But this is my body, so it's my rules."

'I-I only want what's best for us!' The voice insisted, 'I'm you!'

"You're the bad part of me. The one that grew after I drank that gross drink that redheaded guy, Henley, gave me."

'Look, even if by some miracle, she gets us out, how can you look at her again?! You hit her! She hates you for that!'

"She said that 'I didn't mean to hit her,' and I truly didn't," As he stated that, his green eyes began reverting back to black. "It was out of my control, and I was angry. That means she doesn't hate me after all."

'But you said it _doesn't matter anymore_!'

"It still might," Luffy then kicked at the bars next to him with his right foot, "The same goes for my dream...!"

'And how do you know it'll be alright?!' The negative side's voice began to fade as something inside Luffy's gullet began growling, 'How do you know she isn't saying that just to hurt us again?! I don't want that!'

"I don't know," The former captain mumbled, "But then again, there's a lot of things I don't know."

'What about the crew?! Are they even worth being around after what they did?!'

"Maybe not, but I'll decide if I still want them around. I can't forgive them right now, but maybe, over time..."

'B-B-But what if...?! What if...?!'

"Enough, you're not a part of this anymore."

Suddenly, Luffy's stomach began to ache terribly. He slowly walked to the far corner of the cell, feeling something rise up from the belly up to his esophagus. Preparing for the unexpected moment, he closed his eyes.

"BLEGH!" He retched a green, murky liquid that splattered on the concrete floor of his cage. He coughed out a few more drops before spitting, trying to get the awful taste off his tongue.

"Puma Palm Double Barrel!" Beau-Père jabbed two palms out, but Nami dodged them with a backflip, and thrust the Clima-Tact into his gut and decked him on his chin.

The commander stumbled a few steps back, but he tried to strike again.

"Puma Palm Barrel!" He sent his right palm to hit, but Nami sidestepped it and grabbed his hand.

"Try this!" She clutched his wrist and arm, and proceeded to throw him over her shoulder, bringing him to the floor. The navigator would've attempted to relieve him of Luffy's cuff key had he not rolled over and jump back to his feet.

"Thank you, ma'am," Beau-Père joked, "May I have another?"

Nami grit her teeth, swiping at him again. He utilized Iron Body, taking the blows from her weapon.

Luffy coughed for a second before shaking his head and opening his eyes. The pupils were no longer green, but back to natural black.

"Ugh," He groaned, "Is this what feeling sick is like?"

While he still was beginning to turn a little pale, he felt a little bit better than he originally did.

"Oh, right!" He went up to the front of the cell and called out, "Nami!"

'Not again, Luffy!' Nami backed up and slammed her weapon on one of the bars of a different cell.'Not again, Luffy!' Nami backed up and slammed her weapon on one of the bars of a different cell.

(BGM: I'm Here With You, Too, One Piece Movie 6)

"Quit telling me to give up!" She began to shout, her voice the loudest it's been. "You once said you wouldn't stop until you become the **King of the Pirates**! I believe that you will be! I may not live to see that day, but I don't care anymore! I'm not letting you die!"

"N-Nami, I was going to say-"

"Luffy, quit telling me to stop trying! I won't leave you like this!"

"I wasn't going to say quit!" Luffy yelled, making the navigator look at him.

"W-What?!" She questioned, seeing her captain grow a little smile.

"The voice in my head has been telling me to quit," He said, his black eyes visible for Nami to see. "But my heart wants to keep going. I want to keep going. But I can't do much here. So, will you help me get outta here?"

The navigator almost dropped her weapon when she heard Luffy's request, but held it firm. Her heart just about melted from gazing at his face. He looked a little cute, despite everything that's going on.

"L-Luffy..." She stammered a bit, blushing and smiling.

"Is that a definite yes?" The black-haired boy slightly chuckled, "It's obvious already, so I shouldn't be asking-"

"It's always been a yes," Nami softly smiled, before looking back to Beau-Père with a serious expression. "Now then, where were we?"

"You realize I have you outmatched, don't you?" Beau-Père pointed out, though he couldn't help but smile at Luffy's improved mood. "You can't deny my experience and strength exceed yours, even with that weapon."

"I just found my second wind," Nami brushed her hair back and let it flow for a while, sticking her tongue out. "Pretty soon, you'll be the one who's _outmatched_."

The commander quirked an eyebrow, intrigued. "We'll see."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	25. Ch 24- A Dangerous Game

**Chapter 24- A Dangerous Game**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

Beau-Père, Scorcher, Seventy, Fixit, and G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Things began to look dire in the base for the Straw Hat Pirates. On one hand, Luffy was willing to return, provided Nami could help him. But even so, the drawbridge they used to enter was burned to smithereens by Scorcher, one of Beau-Père's men. With the pirates stuck, possibly with no way out, they still stand against the marines and the best they have to offer.

"Gustaf Shot: Cannonball!"

Sanji and Usopp, mostly Sanji, are taking on the muscular sniper of the base, Seventy. He fired a cannonball from his bazooka, and sidestepped when the cook kicked the ball back to him.

"Épaule Shoot!" Sanji ran up to his foe, leaped upward when the guy tried to swat him with his weapon, then delivered a downward kick to the guy's shoulder.

"GRR!" Seventy growled but didn't flinch from the strike.

"Mountain Kick!" He sent a kick of his own, which sent the cook flying, spitting blood in the process.

"SANJI!" Usopp cried, seeing his friend skid along the stone floor. He raised the Kabuto and reeled back the sling with his free hand, ready to shoot.

"Lead Star!" He released a small ball that hit the big man's head, but the impact didn't even bruise him. When the star fell into his hands, he held it out in between his thumb and index finger and _crushed _it.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!" Usopp screeched with his mouth closed, fake smiling and sweating.

"If you got anything better than that," Seventy suggested in his low, slightly mechanical voice, "Now's the time to do so."

"O-O-Oh, Y-Y-Yessir!" The liar stuttered, running and getting a few yards of distance between him. "Now you have to face the power of the 'Great Captain' Usopp! Take this!"

"Certain Death: Fresh Egg Star!" As the name suggested, an egg was fired from the dial slingshot, except Seventy caught it in his hand. The egg splattered in his palm and he looked at his hand while shaking the yolk off.

"Didn't I tell you to take this seriously?!" He yelled, looking back, only to feel a pellet of gunpowder hit his chest. In fact, three of them had just hit him.

"Triple Exploding Star!"

When the smoke cleared, Seventy fired his bazooka, shooting out a net. Usopp leaped out of the way, dodging it.

"This son of a..." Sanji murmured, picking himself up. "His skin is so tough. It's like trying to fight those CP9 guys who can make their bodies as hard as iron, only now it feels like I'm taking on somebody literally made of that shit!"

"Hey, Sanji!" Usopp called out, ducking from a cannonball. "Not to be rude, but can you hurry up and help?!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" The cook ran back into the fray, moving past Usopp and attempting to fight Seventy.

"Gustaf Shot!" Seventy fired a ball at Sanji, and he went to kick it, but when his feet touched the ball...

"AAAGGHHHHH!" The cook collapsed to the ground, raising his right foot up, showing the ball had spikes on it, impaling the top of his shoe when he tried to kick it upward.

"Spiked Ball!"

"Oh god!" Usopp exclaimed, turning his back to the stocky sniper. "Hang on, man, I'll get it off of you!"

Careful not to get his hands punctured in the process, the liar pulled as best he could, barely managing to pull, much less lift the spiked ball before dropping it to the ground.

"Just so you know," Seventy pointed out, "That ball weighs around twenty pounds and no one dies from it, usually. You small fries don't appear to be that special, let alone worthy."

"We'll see about that!" Sanji hissed, standing up. "I'll show you how capable I am!"

'That weapon's gonna be trouble if I can't break it now!' He thought, 'One kick, that's all it takes!'

"I should hide now," Usopp proceeded to jump behind a box as Sanji dashed forward.

"Gustaf Shot: Spiked Ball!" Seventy sent more shots out to the blonde man, who leaped left and right, almost like he was zigzagging.

"Table Manner Kick Course!" When he got close enough, Sanji kicked vertically upward, which was strong enough to break the whole bazooka in two. Seventy saw the weapon fall apart in his hands and backed away.

"Oh, you broke my bazooka," The stocky sniper deadpanned, grabbing the rifle strapped around his back. "Fine, I won't hold back. But you small fries have another thing coming if you believe I'll be easy."

"Trust me," Sanji said, "I won't take you so lightly."

"N-N-N-Neither will I!" Usopp yelled, bravely reaching to open the trap door in the stone floor of the barrier.

'Godammit, Usopp!' The cook sweatdropped, almost embarrassed.

"The first rule," Seventy murmured, training his gun and moving backward. "In a straight fight, you don't turn away for a minute."

"Alright," Sanji nodded, playing along in his own way. "Rule two, you gotta think fast!"

He moved forward, instinctively twirling to the left to avoid a tranquilizer fired from Seventy. He dodged a couple more shots, jumping to the right and up in the air.

Soon enough, Sanji got up to Seventy and tried to kick him, but he made his rifle block the kick, even smacked him across the face with the butt of his weapon.

"Small Game Throw!" The big man lifted up Sanji by his collared shirt and threw him to Usopp, colliding with him. They both became a mess when they both crashed into a crate.

"Come on," Seventy sighed, shaking his head. "You can do better than that! If you got your bounties from the Enies Lobby incident, I expect you to show me how you earned them! That toss was nothing!"

He opened up a trap door behind him, walking down.

"Ugh..." Usopp groaned, getting up and dusting himself. "He's literally toying with us."

"Us?" Sanji questioned, shaking his shirt and removing some pieces of wood on him. "I don't remember you doing much to hurt this guy."

"Alright, fine," The liar threw his arms up, "I'm not doing a good job. But I'm sure we still have a chance against him. Let me see..."

He looked through his bag, opening up a compartment to show some Dials.

"There's the Flash Dial, Breath Dial, Impact Dial..."

"Wait, Usopp?" Sanji grabbed the bag and looked, seeing that almost all of the dials were there, along with Usopp's ammunition. He then grabbed the collar of his shirt with a darkened expression.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, Sanji!" Usopp panicked, afraid of what the cook was going to say.

"Usopp, why the hell didn't you give Nami some of your Dials?"

"I-I don't know!" Usopp yelled defensively, "I was still pissed off at her! It didn't occur to me to give it to her!"

"And while we have to fight this asshole," The cook dropped the liar to the ground angrily, "Nami might get killed without having anything to help her save Luffy! The guy in charge of this place could find her and easily kill her! This is all your fault!"

"MY FAULT?!" Usopp got up, feeling irate.

"Yes, _YOUR FAULT! _If you and Moss-head didn't treat Nami like crap, then she wouldn't be forced to save Luffy by herself!"

"Oh, please! Don't lump me in the same category with that guy! I told you I didn't think she deserved to be treated like that! I just said she didn't deserve to be forgiven! If you're not as stupid as you look, then you'd realize that!"

"You think Nami shouldn't be forgiven..." Sanji then kicked Usopp in his stomach with no warning, "YET YOU DO?!"

"HACK!" Usopp coughed, "I... HACK! I never said that! I just said she shouldn't be forgiven for her actions! Manipulating everything and everyone as she likes, acting so cold like nothing's wrong, being a _**violent bitch**_, I don't think I can stand to look at her anymore!"

What happened next, Sanji did what he never thought he'd do in a million years. He went and backhanded Usopp, making him land on the floor. Then, he kicked a trap door open and dragged the sniper by his long nose.

"OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW-OW!" Usopp cried, trying to get the cook to let go, but his grip was like iron.

"We're _both _going to beat this bastard..." Sanji explained coldly, "And you **will **fight with me, side by side. If you run, I'll beat you so bad no one will recognize you. Got it?"

"Y-Yeah...!" Usopp squeaked, frightened. He had never seen that look on Sanji's face before. That look was on people such as Crocodile, Kuro, Lucci, Gecko Moria, even Luffy, and Zoro, but this felt different. He knew Sanji would act callous to some of their enemies, but being on the receiving end made him slightly glad the cook was on his side, sort of.

The two of them went down the trap door, following Seventy to inside the barrier.

"Oh, you showed up," Seventy stated, "Here I was, thinking you small fries were having second thoughts."

"If we let you do as you please," Sanji surmised, letting go of Usopp's nose. "You'd only cause trouble for the others."

"Cause trouble, huh?" Seventy began to make an offhand comment, "I wonder about that."

"H-Hey!" Usopp shouted out, "Why are you looking at us like you're judging us?!"

"I'm trying to figure something out," The stalwart shooter murmured, "Long-nosed small fry, lemme ask you a question."

"A-A question?" Usopp raised an eyebrow, almost curious. "O-Okay."

"Do you respect your captain?"

The liar broke into a little bit of a sweat, taken aback.

"W-W-Well, no," He answered honestly, which was a surprise, even for him. "I did like the guy, don't get me wrong, but he's practically an idiot with a simple way of thinking. When he said he was a pirate, I didn't believe him or take him seriously. I lied to him on a lot of occasions."

"Usopp...!" The cook pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. He then spoke directly to the burly marine. "Look, it's none of your business! We don't tell you how to treat your leader, so don't try and tell us what to do!"

Seventy sighed, taking aim once more.

"Why do I have to fight you guys instead of that 'Cyborg' Franky?" He muttered, "Or that Roronoa Zoro? Both of them look more like men than you small fries ever will be."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Usopp exclaimed.

"It means I understand a few things now. With punks like you, it's no wonder your captain doesn't want to even see you again."

(BGM: Boss Battle 2, One Piece: Unlimited Adventure)

The sniper's rage broke out somewhere, and he put a pellet in the sling of Kabuto, firing it.

"FIRE BIRD STAR!" Out came a blazing shot in the form of the phoenix, which could've scorched Seventy had he not jumped over it.

"Reticle Shot: Bolt Action!" He proceeded to pull down on the trigger and fire multiple shots at the pair.

They evaded the bullets, though Usopp wasn't exactly done just yet.

"Sunflower Star!" He fired five Exploding Stars at once, managing to hand a hit on the marine's chest.

"UGH!" Seventy grunted, stumbling back and getting pelted with more Exploding Stars.

"Sanji!" Usopp yelled, glaring fiercely as he kept pouring on his assault. "Get in there and kick his ass!"

"R-Right!" The cook proceeded to do that, having never seen Usopp look this aggressive.

"Just try it, punk!" Seventy sidestepped another pellet and blocked a kick with his rifle, "This gun's even more durable than the bazooka! Hell, I don't even need it to give you the pain you deserve!"

"You don't know a damn thing about what happened between us!" Sanji snarled, leaping above the stocky sniper. "You have no right to talk like you know what's best for Luffy!"

"Collier Shoot!" He sent his foot into Seventy's neck brace, making a small dent in it, but not enough to do some real damage.

"Leg Lockdown!" The marine grabbed Sanji's leg and made the cook plummet to the ground. He held his grip around the cook's knee, refusing to let go.

"Hey, big guy! Flash Dial!" Usopp held out a Dial and pressed it, letting out a blinding flash of light.

"AGH! My eyes!" Seventy was forced to let go of Sanji, covering his own eyes on impulse. This was the cook's moment to get some free hits in.

"Troisième Hachis!" Sanji ran away for a moment to get some distance. Then, he performed a series of backflips while on his way to Seventy, then using his hands to push his feet up and kick them into Seventy's face.

"Bouquetière Shot!" Finally, the cook finished his attack, springing himself up with his hands, utilizing both feet to strike the marine's chin, pushing him back.

When his eyesight returned, Seventy was beginning to get livid.

"Bear Hug!" He wrapped his arms around Sanji's body and lifted him up with a bear hug, squeezing him.

"AGH!" Sanji felt his bones were close to breaking, only relieved when the large man let go of him. Except he had something else planned.

"Wrist Lockdown!" Seventy went behind Sanji and grabbed his wrists, planting a foot on his back, and started pulling.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Sanji screamed, actually hearing his back slightly break.

"Exploding Star!" Usopp shot a pellet at Seventy's back, but the impact wasn't enough to force him to let go. "Dammit, where's the effective stars?! Where's Zoro when you need him?!"

"That 'Pirate Hunter' guy would've put up more of a fight if he were here," Seventy thought, taking his foot off Sanji's back, yanking him up to his level and grabbing the back of his head.

"BIG GAME TAKEDOWN!" He then slammed the cook into the floor, almost breaking the stone under his body.

"Super Smoke Star!" The liar shot another pellet, this one creating a huge smokescreen. He ran up to the stocky shooter and disoriented him with a foul-smelling egg.

"Egg Star!"

"Gah!" Seventy actually sniffed it, and he tried scraping it off his face. "How old is this thing?!"

"Breath Dial!" Usopp released gas from a Dial as he picked up Sanji, fleeing out of the smoke.

"Now let's see if you can tough out the heat!" He yelled, firing another star, except this one ignited the smoke, creating a huge explosion. "Flame Star!"

"AAARRRGGGGHHHH!" Seventy roared in the blaze, parts of his open shirt turning to ash. He jumped out and rolled on the ground, dousing the flames clinging to him.

"What's that?!" Usopp began to fire again, "You want another?! Here you go! Fire Bird Star!"

Another burning phoenix was unleashed and coming toward Seventy. Only this time, it worked and the fire collided with him.

"GRRAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHH!"

"U-Usopp..." Sanji looked at his ally, seeing his anger cool off. "Y-You..."

"Helped you?" Usopp replied, finishing the cook's statement. "Yeah, I did. This guy is trying to take out the only one who can actually beat him in this fight: You."

"I haven't even gotten started with taking him on," Sanji thought, "But I'm failing already. I can't even hurt him as well as you're able to."

"...I'm just using ammunition to hurt him," Usopp pointed out, "The only reason you can't seem to hurt him is 'cause he's taken physical hits before. But he's not used to taking fire or strong explosives."

"Then if I hope to stand a chance at all, I'll have to use Diable Jambe."

"But can you beat him before you exhaust yourself?"

"I don't know," Sanji admitted, "But if I do die, it'll serve me right for being such an asshole to Luffy and some of you guys."

"S-Sanji?" Usopp got worried, "Look, just because you suggested we lie to Luffy, that doesn't mean-!"

"You know he has every right to be!" The cook shouted, preparing for Seventy to attack when he got back up. "We shouldn't be forgiven for disrespecting him like that!"

"I know, but getting yourself killed over it won't make that up! Be reasonable, Sanji!"

"So, you admit it?" Seventy questioned, tossing away his marine cap, showing his bald head. "You admit he shouldn't forgive you?"

"This has nothing to do with you...!" Sanji seethed, glaring at his burly adversary.

"Well, it sort of does. He told me he didn't want to come back with you, but that was all I got from him. After that, I admit I got curious, even though I didn't want to hear more."

"Well, to answer your question," Usopp chimed in, "Yes, we both shouldn't be forgiven."

"Big Game Slam!" Seventy suddenly charged at Usopp at an astonishing rate of speed, at least faster than Sanji himself. He got Usopp hanging onto his arm and they both crashed into the wall.

The impact of Seventy's right forearm hitting his stomach, combined with his back hitting and breaking part of the wall made Usopp cough up blood.

"You feel that?" The big man asked, grabbing him by the neck. "That's what honesty is. It wouldn't be so painful if you were always honest."

"Let go of him, you bastard!" Sanji tried to intervene, but he got kicked away by Seventy's foot.

"Mountain Kick! The cook flew and hit his back against the wall. With his back already bruised up, this made the pain worse.

"P-Perfect...!" Usopp spit some blood at his cap and pulled out his small hammer, swiping it at Seventy's right elbow.

"Usopp Hammer!" The hammer made the blow, but it only caused a little bit of swelling.

"You can't expect to beat me like that!" Seventy began turning Usopp around with his back turned to him, and he wrapped his arms around his waist and lifted him up to his chest.

"Torso Lockdown!" Usopp's arms were free, but even if they weren't, he couldn't stop what came next.

"Big Game Suplex!" Seventy bent backward, taking the liar with him. Then, Usopp's back met the floor.

"EYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" He screeched as even the floor cracked from the blow.

"USOPP!" Sanji shouted, trying to kick Seventy along every part of his lower body, but to no avail, as he dodged left and right.

"Those moves of mine aren't your typical marine combat skills," The marine said as he punted the cook like a football back to Usopp.

"Aw, my back...!" Usopp groaned, managing to get up from that. "You still alive, Sanji?"

"Yeah," The cook replied, wincing from something in his cheek. "I bit the inside of my cheek, though."

"Ugh, that's _not _fun."

"And this guy is no average marine, either," Sanji looked at him, "He has a different style of fighting compared to anybody else I faced. He restrains his foes and either breaks them himself or uses the environment around him to do so..."

"I call this fighting style the Hunt Grappling Arts," Seventy stated, "I used to tame wild animals to bolster my strength, back in the day. And since then, I used my talents to capture pirates as a bounty hunter. It put my marksman skills to good use, too. In the West Blue, I was called the 'Deadeye Bonebreaker.' Fitting name."

"Well, if you were living the life of danger and instant money," Usopp wondered, "Then what made you change career paths?"

"Vice Admiral Garp came to my home one day. I challenged him to a duel and I lost outright. Then, when I was beaten, he said..."

_"You're pretty good," Garp said to a beaten, twenty-year-old Seventy, seething from his bruises. Part of his face was obscured by an oversized neck brace and had a large guard that concealed his mouth and nose. "But if you became a marine, you could do more than just twist arms for a quick berry." _

Seventy's mind flooded with days of sparing with a man in a trenchcoat, running into a firefight with other marines aboard a ship ablaze, and standing with Beau-Père, Scorcher, and Fixit in a small group.

"He was right," Seventy chuckled, "I could do more good for people by being a marine instead of living off of being a bounty hunter. Plus, I've got a secret weapon for when I really need to beat somebody."

"Let me guess," The cook speculated, "It has to do with your neck brace, doesn't it?"

Seventy chuckled, pressing a button on the back of the brace, deactivating the locking mechanism, allowing him to take it all of it. His neck revealed to have a metal plate embedded in it, encasing the front of the neck up to the lower part of his chin.

There looked to be a speaker in the center of that plate, echoing the sounds of breathing. His mouth looked relatively normal.

"I don't use this thing on people," Seventy's voice spoke from the speaker in his neck, instead of his mouth. "Only on Sea Kings or battleships to disable the sails and rudder. I'd call you lucky, but you really aren't."

"H-He's talking from his neck?!" Usopp stared in shock, looking closely at the metal that connected with his flesh.

"He's using his vocal cords to speak in a different way," Sanji concluded, "But what happens if he talks with his mouth?"

"Let me show you," The stocky marine slowly opened his mouth, his breathing alone shaking the ground.

"Wild Call!" Seventy proceeded to roar, guiding his voice to Sanji and Usopp with a concentrated sonic vibration. The ground, the walls, even the ceiling trembled all around, and the blast knocked the two away. The sound collided along the walls, breaking it and creating a large hole on impact.

XXX

Meanwhile, outside...

"What the hell was that?!" Zoro exclaimed, hearing Seventy's yell from the yard in the base.

"My eardrums could've ruptured, if I still had and, that is!" Brook eased the tension, "Yo-Ho-Ho-Ho~! Skeleton Joke!"

"Oh, that was Seventy," Fixit realized, "He's actually using that for this fight?"

"Explain, now!" Zoro demanded, "What's one of your friends doing now?!"

"Simple," Fixit stated, "Seventy's true strength is his voice. Once he's unleashed it, tossing your friends around will be a milk run."

"Really?" Zoro then rushed at the mechanic, clashing his swords against his batons. "In case you missed something, our crew isn't stopping for anything! We'll take our captain outta here, and we'll take everything you got!"

"I wonder if you can...?"

XXX

Sanji and Usopp got up with ringing ears, looking behind them to see the damage done.

"Holy shit...!" The sniper pirate whispered, "That hole in the wall is something...!"

"His voice..." Sanji looked on in awe, "It actually broke the wall, just like my kick could..."

"My voice is something, isn't it?" Seventy's voice boomed from his speaker, "I can adjust the blast that comes from my voice when I send it out, and I can even shoot multiple vibrations at a time. But I don't need my voice to shake the ground."

"Stay back, Usopp," Sanji reached his hand out, "This guy isn't screwing around...!"

"As long as he doesn't get near me, I'll be good!" Usopp took a few steps back, "But if you're gonna hold a candle to this guy, you better go now!"

"You can try and keep up, small fry!" Seventy cracked his knuckles, finally getting serious. "But what's a couple of scrawny legs to a loud voice?!"

"And what's big talk to a** burning soul?!**" Sanji retorted, spinning around on his left leg, only stopping when his foot is on fire. "Diable Jambe!"

The stocky marine smirked, thinking, 'Now we're seeing some potential! Let's see if they got the heart to save their captain!'

"Atlas Comet!" Usopp fired four Exploding Stars that converged and hit Seventy, allowing Sanji to run in and strike.

"Épaule Shot!" He jumped and sent his heel on top of Seventy's shoulders, landing a sizzling hit on him.

"M-Mountain Punch!" Seventy winced from the pain he received, but tried all the same to hit the cook. Unfortunately for him, he missed.

"Concassè!" When the cook landed on the ground, he did so with his right hand. Then he spun around on it and handed Seventy a hard, burning kick to his side.

"Mountain Kick!" The marine now tried to punt Sanji again with his left leg, only he was ready this time. Sanji countered by sidestepping and using his right leg to throw him off balance.

"Joue Shoot!" He jumped up to Seventy and swiped him across his right cheek with his blazing foot.

"Cuisseau Shoot!" As his enemy was getting pushed back, Sanji made him go further by kicking his thigh with a right foot, knocking Seventy to the ground.

"Brochette!" The moment he landed, the cook leaped back up into the air and jabbed his foot into the Seventy's chest, spinning like a fan as he did it.

"RAAAHHHH!" Seventy yelled with his mouth open, impulsively blasting Sanji away as the boom soared up into the air, breaking the ceiling apart. He rolled, dodging the debris that came crashing down on him.

'Damn!' He cursed mentally, 'I almost blew it! But this guy...!'

Sanji stood several yards away, except his eye was twitching. With a yell, he stomped his left foot, dousing the fire around it.

"W-What's happening...?" He wondered, "W-Why did my foot begin to **hurt**?"

"S-Sanji?!" Usopp called, concerned for him.

"Hold on..." Sanji began spinning around on his foot again, except he had to stop and cancel the move when he felt his leg get hotter. He went to the ground and clutched his leg, wincing and closing his eyes.

"Are you okay?!" Usopp ran to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'll check and see if your leg hurts!"

"D-Don't...!" The cook shook his head, opening his eyes. "I-It'll hurt more if you do...!"

The sniper looked at his friend, then over to Seventy. He raised Kabuto up, aiming it at him.

"Alright, what did you do, you bastard?!"

"I didn't do anything to him," The burly man answered, "Something tells me his heart lost his fire."

"W-What does that even mean?!" Usopp almost hesitated and lowered the slingshot.

"All I'm saying is this," He shrugged, "He'll never beat me if his will is weak. And he showed a lot of promise, too."

"P-Promise?"

"Your friend is a strong fighter," Seventy explained, "Not as much as Garp, but hey, he's hardly comparable. I can literally feel the damage done to my body, and it's all 'cause of him."

"Well, what about me?! What about when I got you?!"

"To give you credit, your ammunition is something. But let's face it, I could've taken you out anytime I wanted to. You would never win if I fought you seriously."

"Then what do you call the inferno I put you in five minutes ago?!" Usopp yelled, suddenly losing his confidence.

"It really hurt, if that's any consolation. However, nothing, and I mean **nothing**, you have will _ever __**beat me, **_let alone_ hurt me._"

"W-W-Well fine!" Usopp stuttered, accepting the low blow. "But what about Sanji?! He'll beat you for sure!"

"Oh, he could," Seventy acknowledged, "But there's just one thing."

"What?"

"Look at him."

Usopp did as Seventy told him, and saw the cook's sunken face, concealed only by his bangs.

"S-Sanji?" He called, realizing what just happened.

"I can't do this," Sanji muttered, "I can't win this one."

"Oh no," The liar shook his head, "No, you are not quitting on this one! You wanted me to fight with you, and here I am! You even said you wouldn't stop until Luffy's back! Don't tell me you can't win!"

"I-It may not matter whether I win or not..."

"W-What are you talking about?!"

"Don't you get it? Even if we win, Luffy will **never **forgive us. He won't forgive Nami or you..."

Sanji bit the bottom of his lip so hard it began to bleed. All this time, he was trying to hide his emotions, not let Seventy's words get to him, not think about the role he played in lying to Luffy, but it all slipped through. He held himself back all this time, and he couldn't deal with it any longer.

"H-He won't forgive anyone...!" He started to raise his voice, dropping his left fist on the floor. "And it's all because of me, god fucking dammit!"

He could've kept on going, slamming his fist until it broke, but Usopp stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

"Sanji, stop," He ordered, "If you're going to beat someone up over this, don't do it to yourself. Do it to that guy."

"It's all my fault, Usopp," The cook whispered, shaking his head and swinging his arm, making Usopp let go of it. "I practically made Luffy worse by kicking him around. I was angry at not being able to do more, not being able to get any woman to notice me, not acting as soon as I did, and I blamed my problems on him. I always have. I... I'm so pathetic...!"

'This is getting pathetic,' Seventy mused, 'If he continues to sulk like this, this crew will never get far enough to help their captain. What he needs... is motivation.'

"Excuse me," His speaker resonated, getting the attention of the two. "Are you really gonna give up now that you made it this far?"

"No!" The liar replied, "We won't! Even if this guy says we should, we won't!"

"Well, I thought I'd let you know the end result, should you fail," Seventy began to say for the record, "Should you fail, your captain will be taken to Marineford, Marine Headquarters. There, he will be publicly executed."

"WHAT?!" Usopp shouted as Sanji stared in surprise, "That'll happen?!"

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku ordered it," The stocky boom box crossed his arms, "And I'm hoping Garp isn't going to go along with this..."

"Wait, don't tell me Garp might be in on this, too?!" The sniper exclaimed, placing his palms on the side of his head.

"I don't think he is, and I hope not. Seeing your grandson get the death penalty sounds crushing..."

"L-Luffy..." Sanji murmured as he hung his head in shame, "You're gonna die... And it's all because of me..."

"Sanji, enough of your shit...!" Usopp shot a glare at Sanji, already tired of his bout of angst.

"It's all my fault, I'm so sorry...!" The cook closed his eyes, almost beginning to tear up.

Seventy sighed, turning to a wall and shouting, "COME ON!"

The yell blasted straight through the wall, creating another hole in the barrier. It came close to rupturing Sanji and Usopp's eardrums, but thankfully, it didn't.

"How hard is it to piss off a young adult like you?!" His cords spoke through his speaker, "You should be hoping and kicking wildly at me after I told you your captain would get executed! But no, instead you're crying like a bitch and feeling sorry for yourself!

"W-What?" Sanji tried to ask, but he got blown away by another sound wave, smaller than the previous ones.

"Sanji!" Usopp cried out, running back to him.

"Fuck you, small fry!" Seventy bellowed, trudging slowly toward his enemies. "I'm not spelling out everything for you! The captain's life is your problem, not mine! My job is to stop you, even kill you if I think it's necessary!"

He stopped, shooting daggers to the blonde man.

"If you can't save your captain by fighting with everything you got, then you're not fit to sail these seas!"

"You're right..." Sanji sat up, "I guess I made a mistake coming here-"

***SMACK!***

Sanji didn't finish that sentence since he was hit across his face by Usopp, clenching his fist, clearly angry. The cook went down again, taken off guard.

"Will you quit it?!" The liar suddenly grabbed him by his collar, pulling him close to his face, with his nose bending upward. "You're not the only one who pushed Luffy too far, you know!"

"Usopp..." Sanji blinked, not moving a muscle on his body.

"I know Luffy might not forgive us," Usopp pointed out, "And it won't matter how bad we feel. To be honest, he might leave even if we get him out of here. But I'd rather him be leaving us alive than taken away to die!"

"If you think that," Sanji started to question, "And what we do doesn't matter, then why are we here?"

"Because we're trying to get through to him," Usopp lifted the cook and promptly let him go when he could stand. Then, he motioned to Seventy with his Kabuto, "This guy's one of the biggest obstacles in our path, and we can't save Luffy if he's still standing."

"He's right," Seventy nodded, "I'm only doing my job here."

'But if you small fries care about your captain,' He mused, 'Then you need to beat me, 'cause I can't help him. Only you can.'

"But I don't have the heart to do it..." Sanji parted his visible eye, "I don't think I can beat him."

"Sanji, listen to me..." The liar tried again, "If you can't do it, then Luffy's life is over. His dream is over. Every one of us could die here. But before all that, this guy's gonna kill us. He's got the strength and the power to do it. I can't beat him. At least, not by myself."

"What can I do?" Sanji questioned, "What if I screw up? It's bad enough I'm not as strong as Luffy, and it pains me to say it, but Zoro's better at fighting than me! He's got swords, Luffy's got a Devil Fruit, but what do I have? All I got are legs, and even that's not good enough against that walking mass of muscles!"

"You really need to ask?" Usopp quirked an eyebrow, "Don't you remember what you said to me back at Enies Lobby when we had to rescue Robin?"

"You do what I can't do," Sanji realized, his mind flashing back to his showdown with the CP9 member, Jabra.

"And I'll do what you can't do," Usopp finished, grinning. "Now what do you say we give it to this guy?"

"Thanks, Usopp," Sanji patted him on the back, cracking a smile of his own. He turned forward, gazing out at the burly marine. "And I could tell, you tried helping me, in your own way..."

"If you're trying to thank me, don't," Seventy replied, "It's really your own fault for losing your will and complaining like a pansy. You didn't need me to get your confidence back."

"That's fine," Sanji nodded, paying attention to Seventy's slight burn marks on his body. "But you don't need to wait any longer."

"What do you mean?"

"I still have a lot of shit to work out," Sanji smirked, pulling out another cigarette and lighting it. "But for now, I'll start with kicking your ass!"

"Really?" Seventy grabbed the rifle strapped to his back, "Let me recap, you had a lot of strength, especially with that technique of yours. But if you don't have the will, that fire could burn you. Besides, I don't think you can use that thing for very long."

"At least two, three, or even five minutes," Sanji stomped his right foot on the stone floor, "That's all the time I need."

"Reticle Shot: Bolt Action!" Seventy fired rapidly from his rifle, making Usopp jump to the side with the cook, who quickly dashed for the marine.

"Slice Shoot!" Sanji kicked Seventy's foot as hard as he could, actually making him flinch and drop the rifle. He quickly kicked it far past Usopp so the big man couldn't get to use it again.

"Nemjung Clap!" Seventy decided he wouldn't take the cook lightly now, and he put his hands together for a clap, causing a shockwave in the air that pushed Sanji back!

"Mountain Breaker!" For good measure, he stomped his foot and sent out a surging shockwave that drove on the ground! The jagged wave of energy caught Sanji as he landed, getting part of his back penetrated by the edges.

"GAH!" He screamed out in pain, rolling on his stomach.

"Don't turn our back for this one! Wild Call!" Seventy began to shout with his mouth once more, shooting another burst of sound. Sanji leaped as quickly as he could before he got caught by the blast.

"Shuriken Shooting Star!" Usopp ran up to Seventy and shot a cluster of shuriken stars, driving the marine to move out of the way.

"Mountain Punch!" He tried hitting Usopp once, but the liar caught the punch in his hand, with the help of the Impact Dial.

"Was that supposed to hurt?" The liar let out a cocky smirk, almost confident in himself.

"Three-Point Decoupage!" Seventy was taken off guard by Usopp, unable to react in time to avoid Sanji kicking him three times in his belly, chest, and throat.

Unbeknownst to him, caltrops were placed on the floor, so he got a nasty surprise when he landed on his back.

"How did you like your trip to Caltrop Hell?" Usopp quipped, jumping a few feet away from the big man.

"It sucks when something gets you in your back, doesn't it?" Sanji pondered in a snarky tone.

"Alright, I had that coming," Seventy pulled the caltrops out of his back as he stood up, even removing one that was on his tush. "But how about we just end this, if you're finally getting serious?"

"Fine by me," Sanji flicked his smoking stick at the man's feet, "I've got an apology to work on."

"You need me to land some shots in?" Usopp questioned, to which Sanji looked back and shook his head.

"No need," He responded, "This fight is over."

"You're right, small fry," Seventy backed up, "It is over. But for me or you, we'll see. And as for my stomp, I can do several and cause more shockwave, some higher than the last one I did."

"Guess that means we have to use our strongest attacks, right?"

"It's really simple. But if you can't beat me before I rupture your ears or break your bones, then I'm sorry to say, but the kid's execution is all but guaranteed. Don't blow this."

"Like I need you to tell me that," Sanji scoffed, leaping back and getting ready to use his special again.

'If I don't beat this guy now,' He thought, 'I'll break my legs trying to use this move again. But I _will _win. This shot _**will count.**_ It's for Luffy.'

(BGM: Sanji's Leg of Wind ~This is a Taste of East Blue Love~, One Piece Movie 10: Strong World)

Sanji started spinning around again, this time with his right foot. The wind that was generated from his spinning swirled around him in a spiral, until he stopped, and rose his burning foot up.

"Diable Jambe!" He immediately charged for Seventy, preparing to make his final, daring attacks.

"Mountain March!" The burly soldier marched in place, making his stomps create larger and more jagged shockwaves that could almost reach his shoulders. The hallway inside the barrier trembled with his moves.

Sanji quickly leaped left to avoid the waves, and he managed to get in striking distance.

"Table Manner Kick Course!" He kicked upward with his foot, hitting the big man's chin and searing the metal on it.

Seventy stumbled back, preparing to retaliate.

"Wild Call!" He shouted a blast of sound from his mouth point-blank, except it only hit the floor because Sanji moved out of the way in time.

"Boar Stew Shoot!" The cook launched a strong sidekick, planting his ignited foot into Seventy's side and pushing him to a wall.

The marine hit his back against the wall, but there wasn't a crack on it when he hit it. He slightly seethed from touching his right side, and went back to try hitting Sanji again.

"Mountain Punch! Mountain Kick!"

"Premier Hachis!" Sanji ducked and leaped over the respective assaults and retorted with a full barrage of his own two legs, sending them to Seventy's stomach.

"GRAAAAGGGHHH!" The stocky man screamed with his speaker as he went back to the wall behind him.

"Nemjung Clap!" He clapped his hands together when the cook got close to him, pushing him back.

"Wild Call!" To follow up with that, he created a bigger sound wave by yelling louder, making Sanji's ears literally bleed and send him crashing to a wall, fracturing it with his back. If it were any louder, he could've gone deaf from that.

Sanji collapsed to the ground, panting heavily from the previous attack. When he got back up, Seventy was prepared to yell once more.

Thinking quickly, Sanji ran up along the wall behind him as Seventy's shout made the floor and part of the wall crumble. He sprung off the wall, turning his body 180 degrees, and reeled back his hotfoot.

"Frites Assorties!" He kicked Seventy in his left shoulder, chest, and right shoulder, sending out flames in the process, which made him hit the wall again, this time cracking it a good deal.

The stocky man dropped to his knees, which was a big mistake on his part.

"Diable Mouton Shot!" Sanji delivered most of his might into his leg, kicking Seventy in his midsection repeatedly, knocking him right through the wall, forcing him to fall off the barrier. But then the cook jumped down to follow him, not through quite yet.

"Now it's over!" Sanji dove until he was a few feet above the plummeting man, letting loose a final flurry of kicks on his body.

"EXTRA HACHIS!" He kept striking and searing Seventy until he landed on the ground, forming a crater and causing a haze of fire to erupt from it and fly up into the sky.

Sanji hopped off Seventy's body and doused the heat on his leg, looking at the beaten man.

"I-I guess I lose..." Seventy muttered with the speaker in his neck, still conscious after all of that. "Y-You might actually help your captain..."

"Well, you're really something, too," Sanji flashed a grin, "You're definitely a great fighter. I see why your commander has someone like you with him."

"Thanks," Seventy softly smiled, coughing a bit of blood. "HACK! Y-You aren't too bad, yourself..."

Sanji was about to leave him in his crater, but the stocky man grabbed his arm without warning.

"One more thing, before you go. There's a reason we got a moat surrounding this base..."

"And that is?" The cook's visible eyebrow rose up, curious to Seventy's implication.

"It's not just to keep you guys out... It's to keep the inmates in. They jump in the moat, they sink until... they hit a damp cell below this place. Just a... heads-up."

"You've been helping us, even though we're enemies... Why?"

"Heh... heh..." Seventy chuckled in his cords, "T-That's none... of your damn...b-business..."

He promptly passed out after that short sentence, letting go of Sanji's wrist.

'Was it because Luffy's the grandson of Garp?' He pondered, 'Was it because you thought Luffy didn't deserve to die? Or did you help because you wanted a good fight?'

"I really don't get you, meathead," He spoke up, looking at the unconscious soldier. "But I guess that's none of my damn business..."

"Sanji, catch me~!" Usopp hopped out from the hole in the barrier that Sanji made, falling at about forty feet.

"Sanji, you got him!" Chopper came up to the cook, unintentionally distracting him as Usopp faceplanted in the dirt. "That was amazing!"

"Thanks, Chopper," Sanji smiled down at him, "It's nice to know I'm still good for something."

"Hey, Long Nose!" Franky walked up to the sniper, head deeply imbedded in the dirt. He started picking him up like a vegetable. "What are you doing there?"

"Apparently," Usopp grumbled, "I thought _someone _was going to catch me..."

"Sorry, Usopp," Sanji sweatdropped, nervously smirking. "I guess I'm not completely in tune with myself."

"I-I don't believe it..." Fixit murmured, looking at the scene that unfolded before him. "Seventy and Scorcher got beaten...?!"

"Guess someone hasn't been paying attention, after all," Zoro quipped, "We said we'd take on everything you got, and we have!"

"And now," Brook pointed out, "All that remains is you and what few men you have left."

'Damn it...!' The mechanic grit his teeth, 'If those two held back, I'm going to kill them both!'

"Oh, Chopper," Franky asked, "Where's Robin?"

"We beat up a lot of marines," The doctor answered, "Mainly the ones that kept on coming out of the barrier. The bright side, they won't be appearing at the area where the drawbridge was."

"Right," Usopp knocked some dirt out from his ear, "The bridge was burnt to a crisp."

"But if need be," Robin showed up, "I can try to create a bridge with my powers."

"No need, Nico Robin!" Franky raised his hand, "I may not be super right now, but I've got a... SUPER IDEA~!"

"If it involves swimming through the moat, it's a no go," Sanji flatly stated, making Franky look at the cook in shock.

"How did you know my idea?!" He exclaimed.

"There's some kind of current that'll take us down to a cell in the detention center if we jump in there. We'll get trapped if we do that."

"But what if Luffy's down there?!" Chopper piped up, concerned.

"We don't know if the commander put him there or in one of these floors," Usopp pointed out, "What if it's another trap?"

"It's bad enough we don't have a drawbridge to exit this place," Robin murmured, "If we get split up, we might get caught too, and some of us might not have the strength to resist. We can't let the marines thin our numbers."

"Hey, Robin," Franky crossed his arms, "If all we need is a bridge, you might not have to make one with your powers. Just leave it to me."

"What can you do, Franky?" Usopp scratched his head, "Aren't you tired from fighting already?"

"I just need some cola to recharge," The cyborg looked at his exposed metal hand, "When I'm back at full strength, I can make a bridge in seconds! I just need anything you can get your hands on. Swords, guns, debris, whatever's salvageable."

"I can break into the base and find some cola!" Chopper immediately went into Walk Point and darted to the base, "I'll be back!"

"Wait, Chopper!" Usopp called out, "There'll still be some marines there! You can't take them on by your-"

He stopped short from finishing his sentence, seeing Robin moving with him.

"It appears that we haven't beaten all of them yet," The archeologist observed, noting several marines appearing out of the main dome building of the base. "Let's fix that."

As Chopper went into Heavy Point, clocking a few with his fists, Robin sprouted legs that kicked others in their cajones.

"Uhh, nevermind," The liar instinctively crossed his legs.

"Usopp, Franky," Sanji asked, lighting another cigarette. "You two can watch that drawbridge area, right?"

"Like a hawk!" The sniper replied, turning to him. "But where are you going?"

"To the detention center," The cook stared at the imposing building, "To help Nami."

"Wait a minute, Curly-bro," Franky put a hand on his shoulder, "You heard Robin, we need to stay together. If you're worried about Luffy, Nami's gonna save him. Besides, this is her fight."

"Don't you get it, Franky? She's doing this alone, and pretty soon, the marines that aren't in this base will surround us! We're already trapped here without a bridge!"

"Let's just give Nami a few more minutes..." Usopp mumbled, "Who knows? She might actually get Luffy outta there."

"But what if that Beau-Père guy is in there, fighting Nami?! We know she isn't strong enough to-!"

"She can still outthink him," The cyborg thought aloud, "Maybe it has to with Luffy getting executed at Marineford as a show of the marines' power... She could take advantage of that..."

"I can't deal with 'maybes!' I need to-!"

"If you go in and you try to help Nami, she'll never have another chance to redeem herself," Usopp stated, "And she'll feel like it won't matter what she does, 'cause in the end, she's just useless as a fighter and a friend."

"W-What...?" Sanji turned to see Usopp looking serious.

"She lost my respect, I said that much to her face. But, if she succeeds, and for Luffy's sake, I hope she does, then she'll feel like her efforts count for something after all."

'And maybe...' The liar thought, 'I can at least hate her a little less... God knows I don't condone what she did, let alone what I've done...'

"C'mon, Curly-bro," Franky pleaded, "Let her handle this. She really needs to pull through this one without anyone's help."

Sanji looked out to the detention center, then back to his friends. Seeing their expressions, feeling sure in what they're saying, he sighed...

"I'll give her a few more minutes. But if she doesn't come out soon, I'm going in there."

"Alright," Franky shrugged, "But I'm sure she'll make it through anything."

"I just hope she can save Luffy..." Usopp parted his eyes to the dirt, "If only I were a little braver..."

Sanji pulled out yet another cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag to calm himself down.

'I'll give you a little longer, Nami,' He internally whispered, 'If it gets too much for you, then I'll be there. I'll help you fight so you can save _our_ captain. _My captain._'

Seeing the imposing, window-barred building from a distance, he almost felt something. It could've been the sense of freedom rising from the darkness, but for some odd reason, there was something else. A darker presence, something that makes a normal person shudder from fear. Something Sanji felt from a person, from the past...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	26. Ch 25- Loose Again

**Chapter 25- Loose Again**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

Silvios, Neko Beckett, Noppera Spark, Beau-Père, William Henley, and G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

On the bottom floor of the detention center, there were a couple of guards on the ground dead. The catfish fish-man, Neko Beckett, had killed them all with his cat-claw attachments, located on his fingers. Right now, he was keeping watch in the hallway, making sure no one comes down to this floor.

'This is stupid!' He thought, 'Just 'cause this marine's in our pocket, that doesn't mean he can push us around!'

Behind him, Silvios had his arms crossed, staring at the fat marine as he talked with Noppera Spark.

"And the bomb is planted on the generator inside the base's headquarters," The corrupt soldier explained, "When that thing goes off, the generator that powers the current goes too. With nothing holding you back, you and Arlong can get out. The commotion upstairs wasn't intentional, but it should make for a perfect distraction."

"I see," Noppera said, his hair blowing as he spoke. "So the youth who defeated him is here. That could be problematic."

"How come?" The marine wondered, "It works perfectly for him. He wants revenge against the brat."

"His desire for it will throw us off schedule. We can't afford to take detours, even if it suits his best interests."

"Well, you know I don't exactly care what happens."

"Silvios, open this door to the Box."

"Alright, Bell-head," The anglerfish fish-man did as he was told, turning a large wheel on the door clockwise. He pulled the door open with his strength as the sound of creaking and squealing metal echoed throughout the floor.

"You should stand back," Noppera suggested to the bribed marine, clutching his swordstick. "The sight of my handiwork is not for the fainthearted."

"I'll live," The marine chuckled, "I just want my money."

"Of course," The jellyfish merman nodded, showing his shimmering blade. "So do I."

Some guards were startled, seeing Noppera pitter-patter on his tentacle legs, his sword glistening under the yellow light bulbs that lit the room. When Silvios walked in, the guards cautiously stood up, each reaching for a rifle or a polearm.

"Don't mind us, humans," He spoke up, "We're just passing through. We'll be taking Arlong."

"W-We can't let you do that!" A guard trained his halberd on the intruders, walking slowly and almost shaking in his shoes. "This man here is a dangerous criminal! He can't be released into the world!"

"Unfortunately for you," Noppera whispered through his hair, "Your compliance is not our concern."

"But look at you," Silvios sarcastically rolled his eyes, "Standing _so_ _tall_ and _brave_. I'll make this quick for you."

"Enough of this!" Another guard shouted with a rifle in her hands, ushering her compatriots to surround the intruders. "We may not care if you have business with the pirate, but trying to take him out of here is where we draw the line! Move and we'll shoot!"

"Idiots, all of them," Silvios sighed while a blue flash erupted from his light, blinding the guards. They couldn't attack, let alone prepare themselves for what came next.

Noppera quickly rushed through them, swinging his sword once with his back turned to them. Then, wide gashes appeared on the bodies as they hit the floor, staining it with their blood.

"W-What happened?!" A guard questioned with his eyes closed.

"Thousand Brick Fist!" Silvios struck him in his stomach, making him cough up blood as he hit the bars. The punch was strong enough to kill him.

The bright fish-man turned his attention to five more guards, who showed up from the other side of the room. He ran to them, letting out a barrage of kicks that broke their bones. One particular kick across the face made a guard's neck snap, instantly ending his life.

Noppera continued cutting down soldier after soldier without much effort. Four charged, attempting to thrust their halberds into him, but he leaped over them with a somersault and landed on his many legs. With a quick sheath, the guards fell with their severed heads following them.

"Naturally, none of you stood a chance," He said, moving to another group and slashing at them. With massive cuts on their bodies and necks, for good measure, the deaths of a few brave men and women were ensured. "But your efforts are commendable. I've had to use most of my energy in this part of the Grand Line."

"With your Power Levels, you'd be strong enough to catch a Sea King and kill it!" Silvios mocked with an air of superiority, kicking a guard in his face. "Hell, you're all stronger than the average marines! But you're still weak humans, compared to us."

***BANG!***

The woman that took a stand earlier fired her rifle, hitting the fish-man in his shoulder.

"AAGH!" He grunted in pain, feeling the shot. He set his sights on the woman, growling at her, and quickly moved, dodging bullets left and right. When Silvios had kicked the gun away from her, he grabbed her by the neck and slammed her headfirst into the floor.

"Y-You bitch...!" He snarled, "I was going to make this painless... But now I'll just make it painful for you as your life slips away...!"

Silvios lifted her head up and sent her to the floor repeatedly, making sure she would still feel the torment as he killed her. After hitting the guard against the stone floor fifteen times, he ended her by kicking her head so hard her neck snapped.

"SILVIOS!" Noppera scolded, striking the anglerfish fish-man with his arm, stinging him with a touch. "You gutless savage! How could you kill someone in a cruel manner?!"

"OW!" He winced in agony, applying pressure to his chest with his hand. "What?! She deserved it for shooting me! Besides, you don't hear me calling you out for decapitating a bunch of humans!"

"That's because, unlike you, I don't get off on killing opponents in our way!" Noppera slapped him across his face, forcing him to plummet. "The last time you and Beckett tagged along, you two excessively killed ten civilians as we were robbing a passenger ship!"

"A true fish-man would show pride from showing dominance over a weaker race...!" Silvios muttered as he stood up, "It's how some animals are listed higher in the food chain compared to others."

"There is no pride in brutality, much less disgracefully dispatching one unable to resist."

"Bell-head, you're the one who stung a few marines to death. I wouldn't call _that_ honorable..."

"I only killed them when they turned to face me," Noppera took a key from the porky marine when he entered the room, "You wouldn't know, seeing as you and Beckett were still arguing about trivial matters."

"Trivial?!" Silvios snorted, looking offended. "Figuring out who's gonna be in Arlong's new crew isn't trivial!"

"Weren't you listening to the tentacle guy, dumbass?" The marine spoke out of turn, "He just wants money. Speaking of which..."

"A few more seconds of patience," The jellyfish merman replied, removing a ring of five keys off of a hook. "This won't take long."

He was right, it didn't take too long for him to unlock the cage and open the barred door. Noppera approached the container and tried the other keys on the ring. When one of them fit in the lock, he turned it and opened the door.

"Arlong, I presume?"

"Ah, Noppera Spark, my old friend," Arlong grinned under his muzzle, standing up from his small bed. "Would you remove this thing on my mouth?"

"If you want to start there," Noppera reached around Arlong's skull, uncoupling the muzzle. "I could still unlock the cuffs."

Just then, Arlong bit through the chains of his wrist bindings, allowing himself more freedom for his arms.

"Could you get the legs?" He asked politely, "Those bindings are made of Sea-Prism Stone."

"I assume your handcuffs were swapped?" Noppera pondered as he removed the cuffs on Arlong's ankles.

"The marine I bribed switched those cuffs with the ones that are made of thick iron. Even so, it's nothing when I bite into it."

Arlong and his associate got out of the Box, greeted by Silvios and the heavyset marine.

"M-Mr. Arlong...!" The anglerfish fish-man stumbled, trying to act natural. "I-It's actually an honor t-to, uh, meet you again, sir! I heard stories from you back on Fish-Man Island."

"Oh, I didn't know there were others involved with this plan," The former prisoner mused, "I thought you came alone."

"I did," Noppera sighed, "But these two fanatics insisted on coming along."

"Oh, there's another one?" Arlong noted, just as Beckett entered the room.

"A-Arlong!" He almost gasped, breaking into a sweat. "S-Sir, it's a pleasure to see you again!"

"I met him first, you're not special!" Silvios yelled, shoving his hands in his jacket.

"Please, we both met him when we were kids!" The catfish fish-man was just about ready to get into a scuffle with the other fanatic.

"If you two are finished brownnosing," The marine interrupted, approaching Arlong. "Arlong, I did what you wanted. I want what you promised me: my five million berries."

"Here," Noppera sent his arm in his yutaka and pulled out a surprisingly dry sack. "A bonus sum of four hundred thousand berries should be good for now. The five million you request should be in an account under your name in the morning."

"Really?" The marine held out his hand and received the sack, opening it up to see some ten thousand bill berries. "Oh-ho-ho! Nice! You never said I'd get a bonus!"

He stopped smiling to raise a question that came to his mind.

"There's gonna be an account with my name on it?"

"In the morning, yes," Noppera nodded, "The mastermind of this escape plan has arranged such. Your services are complete, and you shall be compensated with five million and four hundred thousand berries."

"Perfect!" The marine giddily pulled out the money in the sack, "I'm a rich bitch!"

**"In counterfeit bills, anyway."**

The room almost went deaf from Arlong's words. His shit-eating grin was plastered all over his smug face as the marine looked at him in shock.

"W-What...?"

"Arlong," Noppera's body language read all kinds of disapproval, "Don't joke with him. I checked the money myself. It's real."

"Is it?" The sawshark fish-man raised a brow, almost condescendingly.

The marine looked at one of the bills in his hand, seeing that one of the swirly patterns on the bill is a dry, transparent red compared to the usual green.

"T-This is a counterfeit...!" His eyes bulged, staring in confusion at Arlong.

"Impossible!" Noppera took the bill from the rotund soldier's hand, examining it until he saw a different error from what the marine had seen. "But I checked the bills myself!"

"Only two bills in that sack are genuine," Beckett stated, "And as for your account, it'll be filled with fake money. Complements of the mastermind."

"You knew?!" The refined merman's made a small spark on the tip of his tentacle hand that caused the bill to go up in a small fire.

"Hey, the human that planned for this wanted me to join for a reason. It was to clear these details up.

"What is this shit, you son of a bitch?!" The marine threw the sack to the ground and stomped on it, "You promised me money!"

"You did get your money, human," Arlong murmured, "It may not have been actual money, but you still got it."

"You lied! You went back on your word!"

**"DID I REALLY?"** Arlong pondered, chuckling a little. **"Sha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!"**

"Y-You...!"

"As Noppera said, your services are completed. Therefore, you are _no longer needed_. _Now __**die**_**.**"

Arlong was ready to charge at the marine and kill him, but Beckett beat him to it when he got behind the marine and grabbed his shoulder, digging his cat claws into his flesh.

"AAGGHHHHHHHHHHH!" The man cried out in agony, unable to act through the pain.

On the wall, the silhouettes of Beckett and the overweight marine are shown as clear as day. The catfish fish-man reeled his hand from the marine's neck and backed away as his victim grasped his throat and went to his knees.

While he gasped out, blood poured in between the soldier's reddened fingers like a garden sprinkler. Belly first he dropped to the cold stone. His greed betrayed him to his end, this unnamed fool who sold his soul for printed currency.

"The first second I met this fat bastard, I wanted to kill him," Beckett remarked, spitting on the man's corpse. "His existence is a new low for the infested humans."

"His death was unnecessary!" Noppera hissed, "The worst that we could've done to him was make him look like a fool and leave him!"

"He was a witness, old friend," Arlong stated, "Besides, I said I never broke a promise to anyone. He got his money, _just not the kind he wanted._"

"You knew the bonus bills were counterfeit, didn't you?" The jellyfish merman questioned, "You also knew the account was going to be packed with counterfeit bills by tomorrow, and that the marine wouldn't take this well. You expected me to kill him when his usefulness was outlived."

"No, I would've done it myself. But I do have to admit, our fellow brethren have shown some initiative."

"We want to join your crew," Silvios reached within his jacket, pulling out a claw weapon and a flintlock. "Here, some weapons for you."

"These will do," Arlong smirked, taking the claws and putting it over his left hand. He placed the gun he was offered in his pants, seeing as there were no pockets on his uniform. "And I thought I'd have to go to the armory and take some weapons."

"Apparently, some parts of the plan were lost in messaging," Noppera crossed his arms, "The human that planned for your retrieval never said the armory would be a factor unless needed."

"Well, I suppose I don't need it now," The sawshark fish-man swung his left hand, letting the claws slash the air. After admiring his new weapon, he proceeded to walk out of the room, heading for the elevator. "Let's go and have a little chat with that rubber brat now."

"Sir, I believe that's a poor decision. I didn't come here so you could have a chance at revenge."

"Please, Noppera. The boy's weak, and that gives me an advantage. But I don't _just_ want to kill him. Sha-ha-ha-ha..."

If anyone behind Arlong could see his face, they'd see his exposed sharp teeth shining a smile, the anger in his eyes, and the veins in his neck and head pulsating. He finished his sentence with a cold snarl...

"**I WANT TO SAVOR HIS DYING, BEATING, BLEEDING HEART IN MY HAND... BEFORE I CRUSH IT...! SHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!**"

XXX

Meanwhile, outside the stronghold...

"Shoot him!"

The marines were opening fire on Henley, who was jumping around like crazy, avoiding shot after shot.

"I was just looking for the little boy's room!" The redhead joked, leaping all over the battleship and using his spider legs to strike on occasion. "You guys should know the struggle! I can't take one drink too many!"

"We can't let him escape, men!" A marine with a sword shouted, "He's destroyed the last rudder of our battleship!"

"Chemistro Grenades: Smoke!" The minute Henley landed on the floor again, he released a pair of grenades and sent them to a cluster of marines. They were quickly covered by thick clouds of gray smoke.

Henley took the opportunity to scale one of the large masts of the battleship, reaching the top and leaping off in succession.

"Moonwalk Jumping Spider!" He maneuvered through the air thanks to his legs, and he began to head off for the center of the base.

'Alright,' He thought, 'I should tell the crew to head for their ship and fend off the marines that are trying to capture the ship. Then, I'll get inside the detention center and make sure Nami gets out of here with Luffy. This plan's a little complicated, but it's working. At least, for now.'

Henley kept going for the stronghold, almost close to achieving the Straw Hat Pirates' common goal: Luffy's rescue.

XXX

Meanwhile, on the ninth floor of the detention center...

"Tempest Kick Luna Boomerang!" Beau-Père kicked upward, letting out another flying projectile for Nami to dodge.

She retaliated by running to him and swinging her weapon wildly, with poor results, as the commander maneuvered through the swipes. He hopped up and went airborne, making it to the top of the ceiling.

"You are capable of defending yourself," Beau-Père mused from his high place, "I expected as much from a member of the Straw Hat Pirates. But your flaw is that you depend too much on your weapon, making you inept in hand-to-hand combat."

"I'm not that weak..." Nami slightly growled, taking off the top part of the Clima-Tact. "I just happen to play things smart!"

(BGM: Duel, Metal Gear Solid)

"Thunder Ball!" She fired a ball of lightning at Beau-Père, but he went backward, preparing another attack through pressing his feet together.

"Be careful, Nami!" Luffy shouted, "He's going to send some arrows your way!"

"Tempest Kick Artemis Arrows!" As Luffy had said, a large arrow-like air burst shot from Beau-Père's shoes, splitting into smaller arrows halfway in the descent.

'Shit!' The navigator mentally cursed while leaping out of the way, somehow managing to avoid all of them.

"Shave!" The commander landed on the ground, moving so fast he made afterimages of himself. He stood next to Nami, then behind her, and kept moving as she turned and attempted to strike lightning balls at him.

"How about you stand still and let me hit you?!" The navigator yelled in frustration, missing her shots again and again.

"Try something different, and we'll see!" Beau-Père mocked, waving his hand and disappearing all around her.

'I have to end this here and now!' Nami thought, uncoupling the rest of the Clima-Tact. 'No more wasting time!'

"Dark Cloud Tempo!" She put two of the rods together, forming an X, and a black cloud with an electric current took shape at the top.

The commander stood back, entering his hybrid form once more.

"Another cloud?" He regarded.

"Coming into contact with this cloud will result in electrocution," Nami said, "If allowed, a large bolt of lightning will release from it and pass through your body. You will survive the encounter, assuming your body is strong enough to take the blast."

"Are you serious?"

Nami threw the dark cloud in Beau-Père's direction, except he leaped over it and caught her waist with his tail.

"Well, that was something different," He murmured, "But it looks like the fight's over."

"It's going to be, alright," The navigator smirked, attempting to hit him with the reconnected weapon.

"Iron Body!" With Beau-Père hardening his defenses, the weapon would have no effect on him, but Nami stopped short from hitting him. She held it close to Beau-Père's chest, condescendingly waving her hand as Beau-Père did a few seconds ago.

"Thunder Lance Tempo!" By the time the commander realized what was going to happen, it was too late for him to dodge. The dark cloud discharged the thunderbolt, traveling at an alarming rate to Nami's weapon, passing through his body.

"Graaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggghhhhhhhhhh!" Beau-Père roared from the shock, subconsciously letting Nami go. She searched Beau-Père's pants pockets, unable to find what she was looking for there. She swiped her weapon across his face again, distracting him as she tried frisking the pocket in his shirt.

"Puma..." The commander towed an arm back, keeping his claws in check. "Palm Barrel!"

Nami moved out of the way in time, leaping before the small shockwave could make contact with her.

"You're resistant to physical damage when you use that move," She stated, seeing smoke exit Beau-Père's mouth. "But it's not the best defense for everything."

"You know how to use that weather controller, I'll give you that..." He panted, "But you're still facing an opponent out of your scale."

"I know," Nami nodded, "But I came here to save Luffy."

"There's nothing you won't do for him, is there?"

"I said as much as we were fighting, didn't I?"

"You did."

Something came back to Nami's mind, beckoning her to ask another question.

"I tried not to think about it, but I'm a little bit curious," She began, "If you and your men win, hypothetically, what's going to happen to Luffy?"

"W-Well..." The commander hesitated, knowing the outcome, should the Straw Hats' fail. "If you didn't show up in time, or if you lost, your... your captain would be taken to Marineford."

"Marineford?" Luffy chimed in, "What's that?"

"A major marine facility," Nami answered, "Just like the prison Impel Down, and Enies Lobby, the judicial facility we stormed."

"Marineford is the headquarters of the marines," Beau-Père further told, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku is stationed there, sometimes with his friend and coworker, Vice Admiral Garp."

"Oh, so I'd be taken to where Gramps is," Luffy concluded.

"You're taking him to his execution, aren't you?"

"W-What?" The captain stared out at Nami, startled by her immediate theory.

"I'm afraid that's true..." Beau-Père sighed, driving Luffy up the wall.

"Are you serious?!" He exclaimed, "You were holding me here just so I could get killed?!"

"Sengoku ordered me to hold you here until your execution date. He believes that your death will show the power of the marines, demonstrating their competence, without the need for a Warlord."

"I-I can't believe it..." Luffy shook his head, still taken aback. "Does Gramps know about this?"

"Not yet. I only found out myself a few hours ago. I don't believe he would agree to this, though."

"This is a show of power," Nami spoke up once more, "But this act is also because of Luffy's pirate status and because of his bloodline, isn't it?"

Beau-Père looked a little surprised that Nami knew about her captain's heritage, but he admitted it as well.

"Yes," He confirmed, "It's also what the Fleet Admiral said."

"They want me dead..." Luffy murmured, "Because of my dad..."

"Oh, Luffy," Nami looked to him, feeling sorry for him.

"If you must know," Beau-Père regained some attention, tossing his marine jacket aside to the bars. "I'm not proud of what I have to do. But I have my orders."

The marine then disappeared in an instant. He reappeared behind Nami, and had an iron grip on her shoulder, forcing her to drop her weapon. Then, he shoved her away, forcing her to fall in her rear end.

"However," Beau-Père continued, "I will say this: I'm glad to have met you. Your determination was extraordinary."

"Was?" The navigator raised an eyebrow, picking herself up. "You think I still can't help him?"

"Your weapon is right here," The commander pointed out, "You can't win without it."

"**Can't I?**"

That was when Nami did something the commander didn't expect her to do... Take her shirt off in front of him.

"W-W-W-W-W-W-What?!" Luffy stuttered confused, looking away with a blush on his cheeks.

"OH GOD!" He exclaimed, closing his eyes and blocking his face with an arm. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"

'My sister would kill me if I looked at her daughter like this!' He yelled internally, 'But how am I supposed to test her further if she's doing this?!'

"Wow, you're a celibate person?" Nami questioned with a smirk, "Then don't look further, because you won't like this."

Underneath the teal shirt that she took off away was a modest black sports bra, but there was something else on her body. Looping around her ribcage were two belts with grenades strapped on them!

"N-Nami?!" Luffy dared to look, but what he saw made his eyes widen with fear. "What is that?!"

"Grenades," Nami simply explained, her eyes shifting back to her captain. "Explosive devices, ones that can look like fruit from the shape. You pull the pin, throw the grenade, and wait for the boom."

"Grenades?!" Beau-Père looked to see if she was bluffing. To his own horror, she wasn't. "Y-You're not actually-?!"

"Going to blow myself up?" She finished the sentence, "Maybe. I did say that I was willing to do anything to save Luffy, even if I die. But it's out of my hands now. What comes next depends on what you do."

As Nami said that, she pulled open the cell door right next to her, which was the one Luffy was in.

"You unlocked it already?!" Beau-Père shouted, seeing Nami grab Luffy by his arm and walk out the cell.

"When Luffy wasn't looking," Nami replied, regretting keeping the fact to herself.

"Y-You didn't tell me you unlocked it..." Luffy whispered.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Luffy. If you kept refusing, I wouldn't have any other choice but to drag you out. But I swear, I wanted to get you without resorting to forcing you!"

"No, it's fine, Nami," The captain slightly smiled, "I wanted you to get me out."

"So, I guess we can leave now. I've got everything I need."

"You can't walk out of here!" Beau-Père declared, shifting back to normal. "I still have the key to your captain's cuffs!"

"You mean this key?" Nami stuck out her tongue whilst holding a key in her free hand.

Beau-Père stammered, searching in his pockets. "You pickpocketed me...!" He looked back to her in realization.

"And you have nothing to bargain with."

The orange-haired girl would've unlocked Luffy's cuffs if the commander didn't try to run at her. He only stopped short when Nami put her fingers on a grenade pin, almost ready to pull it.

"Y-You wouldn't!" Beau-Père growled out of frustration, "You have everything! Blowing yourself up wouldn't do any good!"

"Actually," Nami retorted, "It would do something. You were ordered to arrest Luffy, but not kill him. If you took him to the marines, you'd be given a valuable promotion, I'd wager."

"T-That's..." He stumbled, "That may be true, but I didn't do this for a better rank!"

"True, but if we both blow up, it'd look bad on your record. This base did have a history of prison riots in the past, after all. It would suck if your superiors found out that you not only failed to turn Luffy in alive, but also couldn't keep this base in better condition, something even your predecessor couldn't do."

'S-She must've been in the Records Room,' Beau-Père thought, gazing in awe at her. 'And there's what I told her when she pressed me...'

"There's also what you admitted to me. The marines will publicly execute Luffy to show off their power. All because the World Government sees him as a threat. But if Luffy died, not by the hand of the marines, it will show that the most rebellious pirates won't admit defeat, even to the point of killing themselves. And lastly, you don't like blood to spill when you can prevent it."

"Heh," Beau-Père smirked, prepared to swiftly move again. "That's true. But I'm still fast enough to stop you from pulling the-!"

Nami interrupted him by pulling out the pin on the grenade, hearing the faint ticking of the timer.

"NAMI?!" Luffy exclaimed as Beau-Père stopped himself from moving in.

"Do you really want to try again?" The navigator wondered while she put the pin back in, "Or do you want to let us walk? I'd prefer the second choice."

"Don't do that again...!" Beau-Père clutched his chest, "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I won't as long as you keep your distance," Nami told as she and Luffy both walked backward, "And toss me my weapon back, please."

The commander did as he was told, sighing on the outside, but smiling on the inside. This wasn't what he expected, but felt relieved he wasn't the one to send Luffy to certain doom. He threw the weapon, which Luffy caught with his mouth, surprising both of them.

"What?" He muttered with the Clima-Tact, "Don't you need your hands on those things?"

"Thanks, Luffy," Nami couldn't help but laugh, taking the weapon while holding onto a grenade. "I don't think you need me to hold you."

"Congratulations, 'Cat Burglar' Nami," Beau-Père bowed his head in graceful defeat, "You outwitted me and won back your captain. Someone out there must be proud of you."

"Uh, thank you?" Nami wasn't sure what to make of that, but it didn't matter to her. Or so it seemed.

'Great, now I feel like I disappointed Belle-Mère too. I don't think she'd approve of what I almost did.'

"I'm sorry for how this all turned out, 'Straw Hat,'" The commander apologized, "But I hope we meet again. I might want to face you properly."

"You know what?" Luffy thought, nodding, "I hope so too. But I'll be the winner."

"We'll see."

"Hey, Nami?" Luffy questioned while he backed up with the navigator, "How did you find me and this place if you didn't know where to go?"

"Well," She answered, "We got an Eternal Pose from a barrel out at sea."

"Really?"

"Yeah..." She looked to Beau-Père, "That reminds me. Did you send it out there, hoping we would find it?"

"If I did, would it matter?" He pondered, crossing his arms. He neither confirmed nor denied it, only puzzling Nami for a spell.

Suddenly, the elevator rang out, startling everyone on the floor.

"You didn't press the button already, did you, Nami?" Luffy gazed at her for a response.

"I'm right here with you!" She exclaimed, "How could I do that and be here at the same time?!"

"'Straw Hat' Luffy!" A familiar voice shouted from the opening doors of the elevator.

(BGM: Luffy vs. Ratchet Round 2, One Piece Movie 7: The Giant Mechanical Soldier of Karakuri Castle)

"W-What?!" Nami's face went pale at the sight of a face from her dark past.

"W-Why is he here?!" Luffy stared in shock from the sight of Arlong, in his prison attire, holding a pistol in one hand and having a claw in the other.

"N-No!" Beau-Père gasped, "You can't be loose again!"

"Oh, but I can," Arlong grinned as Noppera and Silvios went out with him, "And look what we have here...!"

"W-Why are you here?!" Nami yelled, grabbing Luffy and stepping backward, getting as much distance between them as possible.

"You see," The sawshark fish-man explained, "I heard that the runt who took everything from me was in this place, so I decided to get some payback. But you're here too, my mapmaker and crewmate."

"Don't call her that, you asshole!" The captain shouted, "You have no right to call her that!"

"I can do whatever I want, inferior human! And I'll start by taking her back and ripping your organs out. **Piece by piece! SHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!**"

Arlong's haunting laughter filled the entire floor as Nami could only walk further away with Luffy, both feeling a sense of dread overtake the atmosphere.

'**We're fucked...!**' The navigator swore, biting her lip.

The worst has come, and it will only go downhill from here...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	27. Ch 26- Clash Of Metal

**Chapter 26- Clash Of Metal**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

Fixit, G-13 Base, William Henley, Beau-Père, Seventy, Scorcher, and the Sideshow Pirates © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

In the courtyard of the G-13 Base, the marines have been unable to hold their footing on their base, despite outnumbering the Straw Hats and preparing to surround the base. Even so, they refuse to give up, fighting until one side loses.

"Oni Giri!"

"Gavotte Bond en Avant!"

Zoro and Brook shot forward with their blades, unfortunately missing their foe, who leaped above them with a somersault.

"Extend!" When Fixit landed, his twin tonfa suddenly grew in length, becoming longer than his arms. He proceeded to swing them at the swordsman, driving him on the defense.

Zoro blocked the weapons from colliding with his neck, pushing them apart. However, that left a window of opportunity, as his front was exposed.

"Screw Driver!" Fixit reeled his tonfa back and jabbed the ends in Zoro's stomach, making him grimace. Just then, he reverted one of his weapons to their original state and slipped them back into a holster, pulling out a black monkey wrench in succession.

"Smooth Jaws!" With his guard dropped, Zoro had little time to brace for the wrench colliding with his face. He stumbled back

"Polka Remise!" Brook came from the side, repeatedly thrusting his weapon at Fixit to stab him, but they would all be countered by the wrench.

"Open Hood!" An uppercut with the tonfa in Fixit's left hand sent the musician flying, and he followed up by extending the end once more and swiping to Brook's side, making him drop.

"Bar Break!" Fixit quickly switched his wrench with the second tonfa, extended it, and leaped high, raising his hands up as he did so. He planned on using the momentum to bring his blunt weapons down on his lighter adversary.

As Brook saw what was going to happen, he grabbed Soul Solid and held it in a reverse grip, standing firm as possible. He resisted the strike, and Fixit had to land in front of him.

The two combatants swung at each other back and forth, evenly matched. Brook's sword could only scrape against the tonfa as Fixit was unable to land a blow on him.

Then, the mechanic backflipped a few times, throwing one of his tonfa like a boomerang.

"Flying Ratchet!" The tonfa curved into Brook's path, though he was able to deflect it back to the sender, who began running toward him.

"Liar Cutter!" Fixit crossed the ends of his weapons together and slammed them into the front of Brook's skull, causing a few cracks to form around where his nose was.

"AGH!" He cried out, collapsing to the dirt again.

"Hmph," Fixit smirked, "It appears that even with your speed, you can still be knocked down."

"What kind of attack was that?" Brook seethed from the damage done to him, "It doesn't even cut through objects as the name implies..."

"Don't criticize me on how I name my attacks," The green marine took a little offense from the criticism, "Besides, there's a pun in there if you swap a word from that."

"It's not even clever..."

"Why am I trying to explain myself?" Fixit raised one of his batons, "Say your prayers, pirate..."

'I can't fail here!' Brook thought, 'Luffy depends on all of us to save him! I can't die!'

"Hey, smartass!" Zoro called out, getting Fixit's attention.

"Smartass?" He questioned, seeing the swordsman charge at him. "Me?"

"Bull Needles!" Zoro held his swords as though they were the horns of a bull, dashing and intending to strike multiple times.

"Blunt Ratchet!" However, as Fixit ran backward, he twirled his twin tonfa, keeping the blades from piercing his body.

"Tiger Trap!" Zoro placed the two swords in his hand over the one held by his jaw, then lunged to cut the tall marine.

"Extend!" Fixit's tonfa grew longer, enabling him to guard against the blades. He pushed his enemy back and got some distance between them.

"Well," Zoro wondered, "Are you actually going to get a little more serious?"

"I don't have a choice," Fixit mused, grabbing the goggles on his forehead and readjusting them to his eyes. "Besides, I hate to lose."

As the two clashed their weapons of choice once more...

"I can't believe I have to root for Moss-head again..." Sanji scoffed, keeping himself from biting into his lit cigarette. He was standing next to the drawbridge area anxiously, ready to run to the detention center if unable to wait further.

"It's either him or the marines," Franky stated, "And I think we both know who's worse."

"Well," Usopp whispered, keeping an eye out for marines. "The marines aren't all that bad. They're just doing what they think is right, that's all. Seventy, I think that's his name, gave us a little tip about this place, meaning we can't use the moat."

"Yeah..." Franky nodded, continuing to watch the battle. "And that hotheaded guy I fought was crazy, but he was a good man. His name's Scorcher, I'm guessing. The little guy did tell us their names."

"And that leaves the man facing Zoro and Brook... Fixit. Just like that little guy said."

"Three Sword Style..." Zoro steeled himself, prepared to launch another familiar attack. "108 Caliber Phoenix!"

On the other side of the field, Fixit pulled out a black wrench in place of a tonfa.

"Wrench Pressure!" With it, he sent out a blast of air, countering Zoro's own. Soon after, the attacks dissipated upon contact with a gust of wind scraping up the dust on the ground, and the two of them ran to hit the other man.

"HAAAAAAAAA!" The swordsman swiftly moved to slash at Fixit with all his might, swiping horizontally with Shusui and Kitetsu III.

On the other hand, the marine defended himself with an extended baton, blocking the katana and jabbing his wrench forward at point-blank range.

"Wrench Pressure!"

"GRAAAAAAAAGHHHH!"

Zoro flew back again, this time with the wind striking him in his chest. He felt a few stitches tear apart, reopening some of his wounds.

"Mr. Zoro!" Brook shouted, running to his side and ready to step in. He saw the main fighter of the Straw Hats gritting his teeth and pressing a hand to his midsection.

"That doesn't sound good!" Usopp winced, seeing the amount of pain Zoro is in.

'It's those wounds...' Sanji quietly thought to himself, 'The wounds Kuma gave him...'

The cook remembered the Thriller Bark incident when Bartholomew Kuma arrived after Moria was defeated, attempting to take away an unconscious Luffy. What followed was a difficult battle until Zoro accepted an ultimatum set by Kuma. Sanji tried to intervene, but Zoro knocked him out. When he woke up, he saw the swordsman standing above a pool of his own blood, claiming that nothing happened.

'That idiot! He's going to get himself killed just trying to move!'

"How the hell can I fight if this keeps happening...?!" Zoro grunted, trying to keep his wounds closed.

"Mr. Zoro, please stay back!" Brook stood in front of him, "You are in no condition to fight now!"

"Brook, you're not strong enough to beat him! He's not some average marine..!"

"I know," The musician understood, looking back. "He's used a wrench and some tonfa to get the better of us, and he still hasn't used his swords."

"This guy," Zoro explained, "He's a different brand of a fighter... He's able to swap weapons and change fighting styles at the drop of a hat!"

'Just like that redheaded runt,' He realized as his mind went back to Henley's battle with the crew. Throughout the battle, Henley utilized some techniques that the CP9 assassins mainly use, along with some of his Chemistro Grenades and his ability to turn water into small offensive weapons.

"Mr. Henley did tell us about these men, and it looks like he was on the level."

"Don't credit that little bastard after what he did to Luffy..."

"Mr. Zoro, with your condition, you can't expect to win against this man. I'll handle this."

"Are you going to switch opponents?" Fixit asked, "It's fine if you do. It won't change how this will go down."

"We shall see..." Brook set his sights on the marine and shot out a burst of wind with the tip of his cane, and Fixit retorted with his own, albeit with his wrench.

"Aubade Coup Droit!"

"Wrench Pressure!"

As with Zoro, the attacks canceled each other out with a fair-sized gale. Not to be deterred, both of them tried the same attacks thrice, but with the same effect.

"Well then," Brook muttered to himself before making a beeline for Fixit, intent on thrusting his needle-like blade into him.

"Gavotte Bond en Avant!"

Unfortunately for him, the mechanic dodged by leaping backward, placing his right wrist into the wrench's strap, and it grew in length, allowing him to swing it like a flail.

"Black Flail!" Fixit sent the wrench all around his general radius, managing to hit the skeleton's left arm.

"GUH!" Brook grunted, hearing a faint crack in the arm's bone. He ignored it to plan for a bold tactic to get a hit on his foe.

"Open Hood!" Fixit ran to uppercut Brook with the tonfa in his left hand, but he sidestepped to Fixit's left.

He guarded against the wrench and tonfa's strikes, weaving to the side every chance he got. All of a sudden, the skeleton crumpled beneath Fixit, barely missing another wrench swipe.

"Such an unfortunate turn of events," Brook noticed his situation as he rolled along the side and picked himself up. "Oh well."

"What was that?" The marine couldn't help but ponder, "Is he even taking this seriously?"

The thing that confused him more was Brook humming, walking past Fixit, twirling his sword for a few seconds, stopping in his tracks, then sheathing it back into his cane. The fight wasn't over until someone falls, or at least tries to leave. This was too good to be true.

"Three-Verse Humming: Arrow Notch Slash!"

It was.

Fixit guessed what the ploy was, but was half a second too late to dodge it, assuming there was a chance to. He gained a diagonal slash mark on his torso, a few small cuts to his arms and sides, and one horizontal cut on his stomach. He dropped his weapons in pain, noticing his tonfa holster fell off as well.

"D-Damn...!" He cursed, coughing trickles of blood. He felt the cuts on his body, almost shivering.

'What is this numbness...?' He clutched one of his wounds with his right hand, unable to make a difference. He could actually see small layers of ice form around the cuts, even close them up! 'This attack... It feels... **cold. **I've been cut before, but not like this... It's almost as if there's a freezing point in this person's soul...'

Brook unsheathed his weapon, breathing hard.

'I put half of my strength into that attack alone,' He thought, 'But did I actually cause ice to freeze the cuts on his body? How did I do that?'

He shook his head, focusing on something else.

'Questions for later. Even with that, this man won't fall down. I'm in trouble if he is anything like Mr. Zoro in strength and tenacity. I'll have to wear him down before I can finish this battle.'

Fixit grabbed his wrench and stuffed it into his jumpsuit before pulling out the two dao swords on his back.

"Underestimating you..." Fixit hissed, still feeling the sting of the cold. "Will be the last mistake I'll make."

"It will be difficult for you to duel me with your new injuries," Brook stated, "Your body may not be able to take it. I would suggest retreating or surrendering."

"Suggestion noted but denied. I have my orders, and I'll see them through to the end."

"Death is not how this fight has to go. You should be smart about this."

"I won't listen to you, pirate. Your potential for lying is a standard I hold very highly, you see. If I do either, it would be a violation of my orders, but also a chance for you to end my life with my weapons dropped."

"I give you my word I won't-"

"I don't want your word," Fixit growled, still monotone. "I'll kill you in a duel, then the swordsman, and I'll do what my partners couldn't do on their end myself. That's all."

"This is just about following orders, I assume?"

"Enough words. Let's see if you still bleed, pirate."

The mechanic and the skeleton ran at the same time, swords clanging and creating sparks from scraping the edges of the blades together. Then, the clash escalated as Fixit went on the offense, swinging his swords diagonally, vertically, and horizontally, making Brook dodge left and right, blocking strike after strike.

Brook stepped further back, avoiding a heavy swipe.

'I have to be patient,' He thought, 'He might slip up somewhere.'

However, Fixit showed little to no signs of error in his attacks. In fact, the pain from Brook's technique no longer registered at all in his mind. The only things he cared about were a direct hit and the killing stroke.

The musician attempted to counter, but he had to pull back his right arm, lest it gets severed from his body. When he could, he turned around and ran away as quickly as possible, getting distance.

"How is this possible?!" He exclaimed, moving back to gaze at his opponent. "No one can tolerate such glaring gashes on the body! How are you doing this?!"

"The momentary seeping blood," Fixit quietly told the taller skeleton man, "The sting of slightly torn flesh, and the low temperature that appeared on the wounds soon afterward... They are nothing to me. Even a lost limb and a failed mission can't compare to that. It's nothing..."

Brook could barely see Fixit's eyes, concealed by the green lens of his goggles. However, he could feel the uncomfortable chill in his usual voice when he finished his sentence.

"NOTHING COMPARED TO LOSING YOUR FRIENDS OR HUNDREDS OF FELLOW MEN... TO SAVAGE PIRATES."

This weighted hostility was familiar to Brook, thinking back to the days prior to now.

'Just like when Mr. Henley became angry...' He pieced together, 'But this... This is different from the dislike I usually see or hear of from other people about pirates. But even Mr. Henley doesn't have this much contempt...!'

"Don't bother reading into me. You're just another pirate to put down."

Fixit leaped into the air with both of his swords, bringing them down vertically.

"Back Saw!"

Brook guarded well against the attack, but Fixit didn't stop when he landed on the ground.

"Hand Saw!" He now swung horizontally, forcing Brook to avoid it with his speed.

'He's moving incredibly fast!' Brook actually started to sweat, 'I won't win if I can't counter, but he's not giving me an opportunity to-!'

Brook couldn't even finish what he was thinking when Fixit interrupted him with another furious strike. It barely missed when he hopped further backward.

"Flying Monkey!" Throwing a sword up in the air for a moment, Fixit pulled out the black wrench and launched it at the musician's face, which succeeded in breaking a few teeth and pushing him away. The wrench twirled back to his right hand and he put his wrist in the strap, all the while catching the sword he flung upward.

"Bone...!" Taking advantage of Brook's disorientation, Fixit crossed his arms and held the swords so they would be parallel to each other. Focusing on where to strike, he swung them at once, creating a jagged horizontal slash that went right at Brook!

"Cutter!" The attack connected, tearing apart the midsection of Brook's whitish-gold vest and his navy blue coat. It even managed to break open the center of his ribcage and crack some of the ribs.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Brook stumbled back screaming, flailing to the ground.

"BROOK!" Usopp yelled, concerned for his friend's safety. "Sanji, do something!"

"If I try to fight him, I'll waste my energy!" Sanji grit his teeth, "And I won't be able to get Nami and Luffy out of the complex if something did go wrong!"

"Well, I can't fight him!" The sniper argued, "I'll get crushed by him!"

"Damn it...!" Franky cursed, barely restraining himself from running in to fight. "I want to help, but I have to be back here...! I'm the only chance at getting an exit!"

"Wait..." Sanji looked to the right of where Zoro originally laid down, seeing he wasn't there anymore. "Where did Moss-head go?"

Fixit stood upright, watching Brook try to pick himself up.

"I know who you are, 'Humming' Brook," He called, "It's surprising, learning a veteran pirate of fifty years past lived for so long. However, you are a relic, forgotten to time."

"I-I am no such thing...!" The musician faltered, crawling along the ground with his hands and legs. "I am still alive...! I won't die...! It's not my time!"

"Time is up, pirate. The cogs of the clock were just too worn for it to tell you."

"One Sword Style..." A blur ran past Fixit, catching it with the corner of his eye. Before his head could turn behind him, another cut was added to his front, making him bleed a little more. He coughed blood as he continued to stand, realizing that the swordsman got back up.

"Sword Draw: Lion's Song!" Zoro stood up and pulled out Wado from its sheath, placing the handle in his mouth and grabbing his other swords.

"Get away from him," His eyebrows furrowed underneath his black bandana, "Your battle is with me."

"Roronoa Zoro," Fixit peered back, "I was wondering when you would wake up."

"Here I am, marine," The swordsman darkly smirked, "A few measly flesh wounds won't do me in easily."

"Would a slice to your neck suffice?"

Brook inched away, struggling to move even a few inches with his injuries.

"Brook, are you alright?" Usopp got down on a knee, easily acting as support for the musician to lift himself up.

"My pride and will are bruised," He murmured, "But unlike my ribs, not broken. I just need some milk and I'll be fine. But Zoro..."

"Hey, greenie!" Usopp decided to shout, getting the attention of the two combatants.

"He must be talking about you," Zoro stated so obviously.

"What does he even want from me?" Fixit asked himself, looking to the sniper.

"How about you quit while you're ahead?! We'll beat you, no matter what!"

"Me, quit?" The mechanic shook his head, "Please. I won't stop when I still have the advantage."

"How are you even standing with those wounds?"

"I just focus on what's more important. That's all there is to it."

"You tune out the pain subconsciously so you can power through your enemies with your skills?" Zoro pondered, "No wonder you haven't given up. Even a life-threatening injury won't stop you."

"Of course not," Fixit actually touched one of his cuts without so much as a flinch, "I trained myself to tolerate any level of pain."

"Well, now I know I'm in for a challenge. Especially with my own wounds."

(BGM: No Escape, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End)

"Do you even know what will happen when you lose? Has the idea of a failure resonated in your mind?"

"I won't lose. Not here, not now, not ever. But if you want to talk what-ifs, then go ahead."

"I'll flat out say it, 'cause we learned it from the other guys we faced," Usopp decided to fill in the blank, "If we lose, Luffy will be publicly executed at Marine Headquarters."

"Executed?!" Brook gasped, despite it hurt him to gasp. "He'll be executed?!"

"That's correct," Fixit confirmed, "And I'll make sure you all join him before his time comes."

"If you said it before Usopp, would you have made this an attempt to make me angry enough, I'll let my guard down?" Zoro questioned, supposedly not surprised by the news. "It still won't work out for you."

"I know it wouldn't work," Fixit flatly responded, "If you were actually foolish, I would've done that earlier."

"Hearing that is only going to strengthen my abilities," The swordsman growled, sweating for a minute. "And your pain as well."

"But if you believe this will make us fight harder, then why bother telling us?" Brook wondered, getting over his shock.

"Because there's no point in it," Fixit answered, "Fighting, I mean. It won't change the end result."

Zoro stifled a chuckle, finding his foe's declaration funny.

"Really?" He laughed again as the sword he held in his mouth gleamed, "And what makes you think you can kill us all?"

"You've seen the skills I possess," The mechanic's glowered, "You've seen my tolerance of pain. And despite my figure, I possess amazing strength."

"Well, either you're strong, or you're not me."

"Big words, coming from a killer. But can you fight as well as you boast?"

"How about we see if you have what it takes to kill me?"

"Alright, fine," Fixit scoffed, dashing to Zoro and engaging in a clash with him. "Let's see who the better fighter is!"

With a grunt, the swordsman pushed Fixit back, spinning his body around once and creating a tornado with his blades.

"Tatsu Maki!"

Fixit leaped away from the twister, switching from a sword to a wrench on his right hand.

"Smooth Jaws!" His effort to swipe at Zoro across his face with the wrench was denied due to Kitetsu intercepting it.

"Back Saw!" The marine raised his left sword and tried to cleave Zoro, but he blocked that as well.

"Two Gorilla Cut!" Flexing his biceps, Zoro motioned for all three of his katana to strike Fixit, but he dodged in time.

"Wrench Pressure!" He proceeded to use his wrench to push a blast of air into Zoro, only for him to sidestep it and follow up with...

"Tiger Trap!" The strike was blocked by Fixit again, and he shoved the three blades away from him.

"I can't get back in there..." Brook tried to gather the strength to move in vain, "But I wish I could..."

"Save it, man," Usopp held the taller man close, "It's out of your hands now. If Zoro loses, we're next."

"Don't you lose to him, Moss-head," Sanji anxiously lit another cigarette after throwing the previous one aside, "Don't you dare..."

"Hand Saw!" Fixit's horizontal cut did nothing but make a tear in Zoro's shirt, centimeters away from grazing his skin.

"108 Caliber Phoenix!" At close range, the bandana man launched a phoenix-shaped wind blast with his swords, which Fixit narrowly escaped, though a piece of his jumpsuit did not.

"Black Flail!" Extending the strap, the mechanic gyrated his wrench around him clockwise a few times before switching to counter-clockwise, hitting Zoro in his side.

"Grrrrrrrr...!" He growled, beginning to charge at his foe full force with a suped-up signature move.

"Charming Demon Sleepless Night..." Zoro crossed his arms, contorting his swords for added effect, and took off like a shot.

"One Giri!"

Fixit leaped over him, turning to punch him with his left fist while holding his sword. The jab connected with his nose, and he quickly delivered a kick to the swordsman in his stomach, making him cough some blood.

"Back Saw!" He cut open Zoro's shirt in a perfectly symmetrical fashion before thrusting his wrench into a torn open wound, then headbutting him in succession.

"GAH!" Zoro's attempts to take them on the chin were failing fast, and he engaged in another clash with the lean man, struggling to overpower him.

'I'm losing ground quickly...!' He thought, seething from his straining stitches. 'He can tolerate his own wounds while fighting me, but he's also striking me in mine to keep me from winning!'

"As a boastful man once said," Fixit repeated the words of his foe, "'Either you're strong, or you're not me.'"

"You know," Zoro lightly chuckled, "That's probably the most damaging thing you've done to me since this fight."

"Then allow me to do better..." Fixit purposely eased his strength and twirled to the side, letting Zoro push past him. He smacked the back of Zoro's head with his dao's blunt side, further sending him away.

The swordsman swatted behind him but missed as the mechanic used his wrench to knock Wado out of his jaws' grasp. He was kicked by Fixit again, this time with so much force, another wound reopened.

"GAH!"

His opponent got out his other sword and swung it at Kitetsu III with Zoro's grip on it loosened, making him drop it.

Zoro held onto Shusui and blocked at least two more sword strikes from Fixit before scratching blades with him again. The mechanic quickly disarmed Zoro after stomping on an ankle and kicking him back.

"Bone Cutter!" Fixit crossed his swords and released a jagged slash with a swift motion, and Zoro was struck by it, almost flying for a moment until he collapsed, a geyser of blood spewing from his midsection while his mouth had red all over.

"ZORO!" Usopp and Brook cried, unable to believe what they saw.

"No...!" Franky watched as a horrified expression plastered his face.

"Son of a bitch...!" Sanji seethed, getting into position for a running start. "If only he didn't take Luffy's pain...!"

"HACK!" Zoro coughed some red droplets, doing his best to move. However, the slight hint of effort gave him more agony for his mind to tell him to quit.

'Shit, I lost...' He cursed mentally, laying on his back. 'I got careless, and I couldn't focus... Why...?'

_"Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi-Shi!"_ Luffy's laughter echoed for Zoro's ears as he looked to the dark sky, forlorn.

'I was more worried about him than myself. That's it. But besides that...'

He shut his eyes and bared his teeth, writhing from his injuries.

'I failed him. I failed Luffy. Ever since I did what I did...'

"I must admit, you are very strong," Fixit stood above Zoro as he clutched his swords, holding his life in his hands. "But still, a pirate proud of spilling blood is someone who shouldn't be allowed to exist. Hearing about you, I have decided to end your life here and now. You can't be allowed to live."

"Is that why...?" Zoro rasped, "Why you fight? Do you really believe that crap about pirates?"

"The ones I've met enjoy killing. The pirates that get off on the destruction and misery they leave in their wake are the most contemptible. Pirates... Like yourself."

"I don't... ***COUGH!*** ...Enjoy killing that much. It's not a game. It's life or death."

"It is indeed. And in your case, it's death for you."

Fixit then decided to raise his swords above Zoro's face, attempting to slice his skull into three pieces.

"No...!" Sanji ran at Fixit, hoping to kick him before he could kill the swordsman.

"True Liar Cutter!"

"We'll be out of here in no time!" Henley shouted, landing on the ground with his spider legs. With his arrival, Fixit took notice and held off on finishing it. "I took care of the battleships! No one can stop us now!"

"Henley," Fixit blinked under his green goggle lens, getting off of his enemy. Zoro took the time to grab his katana and back away from him. Sanji stood on guard, watching his every move. "So, you've joined them..."

"Hey, Fixit," The redheaded hybrid sheepishly smiled, "This... looks bad, huh?" His expression changed when he saw Zoro's many wounds. "Oh my god. That's... You need help with that?"

"I wouldn't want any from you," Zoro growled, removing his bright red shirt.

"Well, you're getting some anyway."

Henley quickly created cobwebs from his wrists, wrapping them around Zoro's body as fast as possible. They stopped the bleeding and appeared to have no effect on Zoro's mobility even though it stung to move a little.

"Just keep that on you until you can get stitched up."

"This doesn't change what I think about you..." Zoro coldly remarked.

"I get it, I get it."

"The fact that you have a bounty..." The mechanic muttered, clenching the blade in his right hand tightly. "And now, you're using what the commander taught you against us..."

"Wait, Fixit!" Henley pleaded, "It's not like that! I just don't want the captain of these guys to die! This is happening because of me!"

"You joined them because you drove the captain into this? I thought you turned on us..."

"I said, 'It's not like that!' How many times do I have to say it?"

"You've been wanted since my commander and my partners knew you. I don't understand how this could happen, but it can't be my concern right now."

"Listen, I never asked to be labeled as a criminal in the first place! You have to understand, I never wanted my life to turn out this way! I-"

"Quiet!" Fixit shouted, "I told you I don't want to hear it! My judgment is compromised because of you and Straw Hat Luffy!"

"Oh, come on!" Henley rolled his eyes, "How did I affect your judgment anyway?!

"My belief that criminals should be punished, regardless of what drove them to that life, has always stayed true! Then the commander doubts himself on what is right because of the pirate, and for the record, I get it, but orders are orders! And now, I learn from him that you are wanted by the marines!"

"Just don't compare me to the pirates you don't like! I'm not a murderer!"

"I believe you," Fixit calmed down, "But you shouldn't be here allying yourself with these other pirates."

"This is a temporary alliance," Henley stated, close to having a migraine and an aneurysm. "This is so I can atone for what happened to the captain."

"I don't care what you call it," Zoro scoffed, placing Wado in its sheath for a moment. "You're garbage and you won't ever be forgiven. Not by me or anyone-"

"I KNOW, RORONOA ZORO!" Henley bellowed, "YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP SAYING THAT, GODDAMMIT!"

"Franky!" Chopper came running out of the base in Heavy Point, carrying a large fridge. "There's some cola in here, along with some milk!"

"Super timing, Reindeer-Gorilla!" Franky cheered, moving to him so he could lighten the load.

"Milk?" Brook looked up, attempting to move to where the shipwright is running to. "I would like some..."

"Hey, Chopper!" Usopp trudged slowly with the musician, "Brook needs some milk!"

'Those pirates can't defend themselves,' The marine realized, looking at the two who are walking together, 'Attacking someone who can't fight is honorless, but shouldn't I thin the number of pirates I'll have to deal with...?'

"What the hell do you think you're doing...?" The man with three swords glared hard, seeing Fixit eye his crewmates.

"All pirates, regardless of history, must be punished," Fixit silently responded, "That's the rule I have always followed since my enlistment, my end of a normal life. I have always carried that out... And my beliefs are violated."

"Fixit..." Henley watched as he spoke to himself, "I knew you hated pirates, but not enough to kill them, I hope..."

"However, I still have some integrity, and I won't attack those who choose not to fight."

"You better not," Zoro hissed, "To attack someone with their back turned is shameful..."

"Zoro..." Usopp whispered, carrying Brook with him to Franky and Chopper.

"Brook!" Chopper went back to Brain Point, running to him and the sniper. "What happened to your chest?!"

"It got broken..." He muttered, "Can you give me some milk?"

"I gotcha, buddy," Franky took a swig of cola as he grabbed a carton from the fridge, passing it to him. "Here."

"Well," Sanji peered at the intense stare down between Zoro and Fixit, "I can't say he doesn't have standards after that. Doesn't mean I want to give him any credit, though."

"My showing up did keep him from getting killed by Fixit," Henley crossed his arms, closing his eyes sadly. "But that's another friendship between me and someone ruined."

"Ah," Brook sighed, feeling his bones reform and reconnect. "Thank you for that, Chopper. This crew would've had half of a dead musician if you didn't show up."

"That won't make me happy, Brook!" The doctor couldn't help but do his usual dance, "Quit complimenting me!"

"Franky!" Robin called out, keeping her arms crossed as sprouted arms carried weapons across the field. Behind her was a large pile of guns, swords, polearms, broken pieces of wood, and even rocks. "Is this enough supplies for a bridge to be made?"

"It just might be, Nico Robin!" Franky posed, slamming his forearms together. "Your work was SUPER~!"

"By the way," She motioned for a pile of bazookas and small pistols, "You can use this pile for ammunition."

"You're so thoughtful!" The cyborg gave her a thumbs-up with his eyes almost twinkling.

"This plan would've failed, though," The cook looked over Henley's shoulder, "And I think we know who's at fault here."

"Who, me?" The hybrid pointed at himself, "...Well, then again..."

"Mr. Henley, if you don't mind my saying so," The musician proceeded to point out, "Your plan seems to be all over the place."

"I know, it's not as great as I wish it was," He agreed, nodding. "But I'm a scientist, not a strategist. My plans are more focused on getting results, even if it means taking complicated measures."

"Is that why you thought attacking Luffy the first minute you met him was a good idea?" Usopp made a snarky comment, raising an eyebrow.

"Or giving him a chemical liquid that threw him into a depression?" Chopper chimed in, crossing his small arms.

"Or trying to fight us all at once?" Franky planted a thumb under the middle cleft of his chin.

"W-Well..." Henley felt disheartened, "If I didn't lose the last few years of my memories... Who am I kidding? That's not even a good excuse..."

"You're helping us," Brook reassured, "And you know what you did was wrong when you realized it. You have my respect."

"Thank you, sir," The redheaded hybrid felt a little better after hearing that, "I should go now. Commander Beau-Père is in that detention center, and Nami's likely in a tough fight."

"I've been waiting around too long," Sanji stomped his cigarette into the ground, "It's time for us to go, now!"

"Franky," Robin spoke up, "We need the bridge."

"Alright!" The shipwright ran to where the drawbridge once was, "I'll make the greatest bridge known to man!"

"Without any additional features, please."

"Aw, what?!" Franky's mood went sour, comedically collapsing to the dirt. "But I wanted to make something super..."

"Time matters now, more than ever!" Henley proceeded to inform as the shipwright got back up and headed off, "I heard that the marines are looking for your pirate ship, as we speak! Besides that, a large wave of them will surround this base and try to keep us from leaving!"

"And you didn't think to tell us the bad news first?!" Sanji exclaimed.

"All right, that's my bad. But don't forget what's important here! I'll get in the detention center and-"

"Oh no, you don't!" Sanji raised his leg up, almost willing to kick the hybrid. "What makes you think we'll let you do as you please?!"

"I could've left you all to die or get captured by these guys, but I still chose to stay and make amends. Also, you don't know Beau-Père as I do. A straight fight-"

"I know! But I'm not going to fight him, I'm going to save Luffy and Nami!"

"But what about the marines?!" Usopp queried, "What about the Sunny?!"

"Some of us have to run to the ship as quickly as possible to defend it from the marines," The archeologist concluded, "While the rest of us safeguard Luffy's escape from this base."

"I leave this in your hands," Henley spawned four spider legs from his back, moving to Usopp and handing him a few of his grenades. "You'll need this more than me."

"Uhh, thanks?" The liar didn't know that to think of that but accepted them anyway.

"Don't worry. Everything will soon be fine."

Leaving the pirates with some assurance, Henley leaped for the detention center.

"Like hell I'm trusting you to handle this!" The cook roared, rushing after the hybrid.

"Sanji!" Chopper cried out, "Come back!"

"Forget him, Chopper," Usopp watched as Franky used the large pile of weapons and debris to create materials for a bridge platform.

"He's right," Robin agreed, "You and Usopp need to go back to the Sunny. We can't leave it unguarded."

"Yeah, but we might need Brook to go with us," The sniper thought aloud, "I'm almost out of my ammunition, and Chopper can't keep up with fighting after he uses his second Rumble Ball."

"I can't leave without Luffy!" The skeleton objected, "Besides, I've restored my energy to fight! Zoro can't hold his own for long with his wounds!"

***CLANG!* *CLANG!***

Zoro and Fixit continued their duel, countering one attack after another, hoping to get an advantage over the other man.

"You're still fighting, even with such injuries?" The marine questioned, blocking a left strike. "Putting you down will be a challenge."

"When I'm through," Zoro intensely concentrated, "You'll wish you killed me when you had the chance."

"Mr. Zoro!" Brook exclaimed, "Let me help you out!"

"This is my fight now, Brook," Zoro pushed Fixit away from him, for a few meters. "I won't lose my concentration again."

'I lost my focus worrying too much about Luffy,' He mentally mused, 'That gave this guy time to attack my wounds. Even so, I can win. I just have to put away my doubts and forget about the pain...'

"I can't leave you to fend for yourself alone! Your wounds...!"

"I've lived through worse...! I'll be fine! If you're needed to go, then go!"

"The bridge is complete!" Franky shouted, having completed the platform of metal and wood. "Usopp, Chopper, get outta here now! Robin and I can handle things here!"

After a pause that felt like an eternity, Brook conceded.

"Don't let your guard down again," He said to the swordsman, "Pain can be mentally blocked out, but a single strike can make a difference."

"Thanks, Brook," Zoro nodded, giving him a rare smile of appreciation. He removed Wado from its place and held it in his mouth.

The musician ran over to the new bridge, seeing Usopp and Chopper leave the stronghold. Outside the walls, they could see around a few hundred marines march up the trail, armed to the teeth.

"We can't fight every one of these guys," The sniper took of a grenade's pin and put the object into the sling of his Kabuto, "So we'll go around them."

"Will this even work?" Chopper wondered, transforming to Walk Point.

"No better time to find out," Brook watched as Usopp fired the grenade, landing in front of a group of marines and detonating a sound blast. The result was some of them dropping their weapons to cover their ears.

"Wow..." Chopper stared in awe, "I didn't know that guy's grenades could do that!"

"Admire later," Usopp straddled the reindeer, "We gotta get back to our ship!"

"Let's go!" Brook shouted, and the three rocketed around the moat posthaste, hoping the marines didn't capture the Sunny.

"I'll take on every man that dares to come in here!" Franky bellowed, just about stocked up on ammo.

"I'm counting on you both," Robin stated.

"That man talks with confidence," Fixit noted, having heard the cyborg's claim. "But he won't be able to handle me after fighting Scorcher. When I'm through with you, that is."

"He won't have to," The swordsman held firm, "I just take you down, and that'll be the end of it."

"But I'm not actually done yet," Fixit mumbled, "I still have a few tricks up my... No, that wouldn't be a good metaphor, considering this trick is my arm."

Placing the dao swords behind his back, he began to remove the glove on his left hand. He rolled the sleeve of his jumpsuit up, revealing a metal arm underneath. Steam shot from the wrist as his mechanical hand was exposed, ejecting more hot air.

"A metal arm?" Zoro questioned, looking at the mechanic. "You're a cyborg?"

"A few years ago," Fixit disclosed, "My commander took me and the men I trained with on a mission to reclaim a stolen vessel. The short version, I lost my left arm to some savage pirates after losing a fight. Now, I've replaced the arm I've lost with this."

"If I had to guess, this was where you got your hatred for pirates."

"Indeed. My enmity for pirates stems from the ones who robbed me of my arm and stole the lives of my fellow officers... The Sideshow Pirates."

"The Sideshow Pirates?" Zoro wondered curiously, even though the battle had nothing to do with that.

"They murdered all the marines aboard the ship we needed to reclaim, along with our own group. Me, the commander, Seventy, and Scorcher were the only ones who survived and fled. We had no choice but to do so, as we were outnumbered and weak."

"And because of that, you hate pirates."

"Don't try to downplay or mock my motives, Roronoa," Fixit's left hand ejaculated some more steam, "You haven't seen what I've seen. The stench of death, the pile of men and women, all gone, and the tormenting laughter of those monsters... Freaks!"

"You look at my crew, and you decide we're no different from them?" Zoro shook his head, "If you guys were sent to capture Luffy, you should've done your homework better."

"I don't care about the lives you pirates used to live. I don't care if you actually did good things for others. That won't change my orders or my perception of good and evil."

"It really shouldn't, but you could still feel enlightened by what you learn."

"Lectured by a man who relishes the spill of blood..." Fixit's left arm opened up, causing hot steam to shoot out the open gaps. "I won't hear any more of it. Not from you."

Rising from the split hand that sank into the mechanical arm was a long, cone-shaped drill that began to turn, letting out a whirring sound.

"What the hell...?" Zoro quirked an eyebrow, eying the spinning drill.

"My Drill Arm Attachment," Fixit slowly drudged toward Zoro, "This is my secret weapon, used for tearing into walls and buildings. You're lucky, mainly because I have never used this on an enemy before."

"You're going to kill me in a gruesome way? I thought you hated the idea of people dying in ways like that."

"I do, just as much as I hate pirates. But this is for pragmatic reasons. To kill you, it must be in a way where no one could survive."

"And you're singling me out because...?"

"I've read up on your background. Before you joined the Straw Hat Pirates, you have killed some people before. And with your bounty as the second highest in the crew, it would be better to kill you than take you alive."

"So this isn't because you're callous and want me, a dangerous pirate dead?"

"Rotary Thrust!" Fixit propelled straight for Zoro, who rolled on his back to escape the drill.

"Well, that nerve's touched," The swordsman lifted himself up, moving back when Fixit attempted to swat him with the drill.

"Don't insinuate that I enjoy this!" Fixit growled, "I don't! I hate fighting! But I chose to be a marine to protect people! Protect them from the pirates kill and slaughter for the satisfaction! And in my opinion, you fit the bill!"

"I've killed some people in the past, but not for the reasons you think!" Zoro took a fighting stance, ready to counter if needed. "If anyone tried to kill me, I'd do them in first. That's how I've always acted. But let me tell you the difference between me and the pirates you hate."

"Whatever you say, it won't change what I'll do to you," The mechanic held himself back, allowing Zoro to speak his peace.

"I don't attack civilians."

"...Really?" Fixit flatly questioned, appearing unconvinced.

"Really," Zoro replied through Wado, "My crew doesn't like to hurt people when they don't deserve it, whether good or bad. Think of it as you wish. I just want you to know that not all pirates are like the ones that you hate."

Fixit paused, considering what the Pirate Hunter told him. He could remember his interactions with Commander Beau-Père back in the afternoon, who expressed his moral dilemma to him.

"From what the commander believes," The marine spoke up, holding the monkey wrench in his right hand. "Your captain didn't deserve to be arrested. I won't explain the details, but he perceived the young pirate to be good."

"He did?" Zoro blinked once, "And what then?"

"I told him regardless of what we believe, we still have a job. As someone who broke the law, he had to be brought in. I never thought he was needed to be executed, but here we are."

"You have your sense of loyalty, and I have mine. We both don't want to go back on it because of what's going on with our situation. The winner of this fight is whoever has the greater devotion for their flag."

(BGM: Zoro's Nine Blades ~I don't have time for your acrobatics!~, One Piece Movie 10: Strong World)

"Remember, I will still bring you down because of how dangerous you are. I can't hold back at this point in the battle."

"I'd be a little disappointed if you didn't try to," Zoro commented, exuding a strong, almost demonic aura that could make a normal person cower at the sight.

Fixit nodded his head, feeling great intensity from his enemy.

'He's easily standing up,' He thought, 'It looks like the physical wounds weren't the only thing holding him back.'

'This is for you, Luffy,' Zoro steeled himself, 'Whether you forgive me or not, I will never do anything to disrespect you again.'

A few seconds passed, and the swordsman and the mechanic charged at each other. Katana had met the cold wrench and twirling stone cutter.

"Smooth Jaws!" Fixit intended to hit Zoro in his face, but he easily blocked it without trouble.

Just then, Fixit tried to swing his drill into Zoro's side, but it was blocked as well. He had crossed Kitetsu III and Shusui together and lifted the drill above him, sparks flying off of it.

'My drill can't break the blades?!' Fixit shouted in his head, 'How?!'

Zoro pushed the drill away from him, taking the chance to slice Fixit's wrench in half.

Noticing himself to be down a weapon, the marine grabbed one of his dao swords, swiping but missing twice.

"You can't beat me with weak attacks like that!" Zoro mocked, his aura growing heavier and stronger than before.

"Then how about this?!" Jumping backward, Fixit quickly tapped a button on his drill arm and pointed it at Zoro. "Dodge if you can, Roronoa Zoro!"

"Rotary Cyclone!" What followed was a gust of wind jettisoning like a funnel, with the front of it morphing into a twirling drill. It was too massive for Zoro to block, so he had to try and dodge it. However, small slashes ejected from the cyclone, leaving cut marks on his shoulders, arms, legs, even his front.

The blast went on until it collided with part of the barricade, breaking the inner and outer walls. Only then did it dissipate, blowing away dust from where it struck.

The swordsman darted past Fixit, cutting one of his swords when the two clanged together.

'What the hell?!' Fixit saw his dao broken, flabbergasted by his opponent's newfound strength. The probability of his defeat increased, but he didn't want to admit it.

"Demon Aura..." Feeling something click in him, Zoro began to project four extra arms and two heads on both sides of his body, each holding blades in their hands and jaws.

"Nine Sword Style: Asura!"

"Rotary Cyclone!" The mechanic tried his powerful blast again, hoping Zoro would actually attempt to stand his ground. To his surprise, he was doing so.

Slashing once with six of his swords, Zoro countered the compressed gale and forced it to disperse completely.

"ROTARY THRUST~!" Fixit took off his goggles, and with it, some form of rationality, rushing at Zoro with his active drill.

"ASURA PIERCING DRILL~!" Zoro responded in kind, swinging all of his swords in a motion similar to spinning.

With their attacks, the two stopped with their backs turned on each other, meters away from where they clashed for the final time. Even the air halted breath, anticipating the outcome.

Franky and Robin saw the scene, the former anxious for who the winner would be, while the latter hid her expressions with a poker face.

After a few eerie seconds of silence...

"UGH!" Fixit gasped as blood poured from his mouth and seeped from the nine cuts on his body, overlapping the previous ones he gained from the battle. He looked to see his drill arm break apart into segments, landing on the ground. It would be the last thing he saw before losing sight of the world around him.

'This...' He thought as he collapsed, 'Power... So... strong...'

"Go try..." Zoro panted, sheathing his swords one by one. "And fix yourself up now... You son of a bitch...!"

"You did it, Zoro..." Robin quietly sighed, "You got him."

The swordsman was close to passing out, but he still kept standing, taking heavy breaths of air. He pressed his hands against his left side, noticing a large gash that wasn't there before.

"Huh..." He murmured, "He came close to getting me there..."

"You're bleeding out!" Franky rushed over, "We'll take you back to the ship and Chopper can-"

"No," The swordsman shook his head, taking a few steps. But with such large wounds, he began to bleed out more. "I'll be fine. Luffy needs us now."

"Zoro," Robin addressed, "Nami is handling it. Even if she is in trouble, Sanji and Henley are there to-!"

"What are you saying...?!" Zoro seethed with reddened teeth, "We can't trust that little shit with Luffy's life...! Besides that, the witch has failed. If she isn't here by now, then where does that leave us...?!"

"Look," Franky tried to reassure him, "We've had some problems when we fought these marines, but we got through them! Nami's trying her best to save Luffy-!"

"Well, if she was trying, we would've heard from her by now, wouldn't we...?! You should've known better than to let _her,_ of all people, try to help Luffy! Letting a weak, useless-!"

"Enough, Zoro!" Robin scolded with a soul-piercing glare, pulling him to her by his shoulder.

"Oh shit," The shipwright whispered, stepping back.

"I have had enough of you and your comments to the navigator of our ship!" She shouted, "I don't know what Luffy saw in you when he selected you to be in his crew!"

The air went cold and the three remaining Straw Hats were quiet.

"I-I'll watch for the other marines..." Franky wisely backed away, taking another cola bottle and drinking it.

"R-Robin," Zoro tried to talk, only for the knowledgeable woman to put a finger on his lips.

"Don't say another word," She commanded with tranquil fury, "You have done nothing but piss me off to no end with your kind of talk. When this is over, you better apologize to Nami."

"A-Apologize?"

"What did I just say?" The archeologist's face darkened, her patience driven at the end.

This was Zoro's hint to keep quiet, and he forced himself to do so.

"Now then, I understand you two get along as well as cats and dogs, but you have blamed her for the flag incident for the last time. That is on _all_ of us."

Zoro raised a finger, indicating he wants to state something else. Sighing, Robin let him.

"This isn't just about that incident," He added, "It's also about the last few days. About the incident with Shiki, about that runt and his role in Luffy's predicament, about the respect he should've gotten when we each joined him."

"And yet," Robin scoffed, "You chose to blame Nami for everything, even your own faults."

"I..." Zoro tried to retort that statement, but he couldn't.

"You acknowledge your disrespect to Luffy, but you still find reasons to belittle Nami for everything she does wrong."

"She betrayed us one time. If you were there..."

"What would I do, Zoro?" Robin released her hold on him and crossed her arms, "Did you forget I worked for Crocodile?"

"No, I didn't! My opinion on you changed when it turned out you weren't as bad as the world made you out to be. Nami, on the other hand-"

"Has had a similar experience, from what I can tell."

"Similar?!" The swordsman exclaimed, "She cheats, steals, manipulates everyone into siding with her-!"

"She did no such thing when you put the light on her, Zoro," Robin calmly reminded him, "She admitted her guilt and wanted to atone by rescuing Luffy, even though she was initially worried about making him worse. This was her decision."

"Where are you going with this?!"

"I'm only saying, if you were as loyal to Luffy as you made yourself out to be, you could have run into the detention center yourself. You even could have disregarded the plan entirely, all for his sake.

"So?!"

"You went along with this plan, placing your trust in Henley, even though you hated him."

"W-Well, I just didn't want to trust the witch with-"

"Trust her with what?" Robin queried, "The planning, or with rescuing Luffy herself?"

"Okay, wait a minute!" Zoro slightly raised his voice, holding his side. "I never trusted her when she joined, I never trusted her when this plan was made by the runt! I never said I had faith in her saving Luffy at all!"

"But you see, Zoro," Robin shook her head, slightly smiling. "You _are_ leaving your trust in her. By accepting your role, you're hoping for her to convince Luffy to come back."

"I'm not doing shit!"

"You fought with one of the biggest obstacles of this plan, and you came out on top. With this done, Luffy's escape is guaranteed."

"But there's also the commander of this place! She can't fight him!"

"No one said she had to, either. If she's stuck, all she needs to do is free Luffy, and he'll take care of everything else. Plus, there's also Sanji and Henley, who went inside that place."

Zoro went silent, taking off the bandana on his head and seeing the detention center with his own two eyes.

"If Luffy does escape," He spoke up, "It might be only because he has unfinished business with us, not because he wants to stay. Chances are he won't want to stick around after what he did."

"I won't blame him for that," Robin nodded, "But I'd rather him be alive than dead."

"Yeah..." The swordsman agreed, shifting a little, and not because of his injuries.

"You should at least apologize to Nami afterward," Robin looked to him, "Even if you dislike her as much as Sanji, just remember she wasn't the root cause."

Zoro sighed, taking a few steps away from the archeologist.

"I can't apologize to her, Robin," He answered her, "Because I meant it when I told her she was useless and always will be, despite being the crew's navigator. I can't take back what I said easily. But..."

Zoro turned his head to his side, stoically looking behind him.

"I'll be a little less hard on her. She is trying, after all."

"That's all I'll get, I suppose," Robin sighed, partly unsatisfied with what she received.

"HEY~!" Franky called out to Zoro and Robin, firing a cannonball from his left arm. "These marines are coming in! Let's push 'em back!"

"Well, shall we go?" Robin raised an eyebrow, running to the drawbridge area.

"If my body can't cooperate, I'll make it!" Zoro unsheathed his swords, prepared to fight once more.

'Don't die after everything we've done, Nami,' He thought, looking at the detention center for a final time before running off. 'Luffy, please don't give up on everything.'

The marines of the G-13 Base were almost defeated. Fixit is now beaten, along with Scorcher and Seventy, making the escape of Monkey D. Luffy that much easier. However, what the Straw Hat Pirates don't know, is that the plan is threatened, and not by Commander Beau-Père himself...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	28. Ch 27- Old Enemy

**Chapter 27- Old Enemy**

* * *

One Piece © Eiichiro Oda

Beau-Père, William Henley, Silvios, Neko Beckett, Noppera Spark, and the G-13 Base © HatOnFire/Me

* * *

Shock. Denial. Fury. These emotions rang in and out of Nami's body. Her heart ached at the sight of Arlong, the man who ruined her life.

Nami had broken through to Luffy, convincing him to return to the crew, all the while outwitting Beau-Père in the duel with him. But just as they were prepared to leave the floor, Arlong and two of his liberators arrive for the purpose of killing Luffy. Seeing him free was the last thing she expected.

'Of all the things that could've happened,' She thought, 'Out of everything that could go wrong, be it my mistakes, this commander beating me, or Luffy refusing, why... Why did HE have to be here?! WHY?!'

"Well, I'll give you credit, Commander Beau-Père," Arlong sneered, taking many steps forward with Noppera Spark and Silvios. "You are a far cry from the marines I've fought against in my past."

"What about Admiral Kizaru?" Beau-Père retorted, "From what I've read on your dossier, he easily arrested you when he was a vice admiral."

"Reflecting on the past?" The sawshark queried, twitching an eye. "I happen to have a few memories I recall..."

"Nami, you've gotta leave," Luffy whispered, carefully checking out Arlong's men. "You can't take these guys."

"I'm not leaving you behind again!" The navigator hissed, "Besides, I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get you out!"

"You two," Beau-Père murmured, morphing into his puma hybrid form. "I find it best if you step away as far as possible. This is no place for you to be."

"Think a Devil Fruit will help you out?" Silvios scowled, "I don't think so, human."

"We have a little more than that!" Nami pulled out a grenade from a belt around her body, taking out the pin. When it began ticking, Nami threw the explosive device at the fish-men.

"Poor Nami," Arlong sighed, almost taking pity on her. He simply picked up the grenade and threw it far behind him. "Has any of you attempts to kill me ever worked?"

Soon after, it exploded behind the aquatic killers.

"I never thought you'd be a prisoner here," Nami pulled Luffy back, moving behind Beau-Père. "This gives me a chance to see you burn for what you've done...! But..."

"But...?" Arlong condescendingly pondered, waiting to hear the sentence finished.

"Not today. Luffy and I are leaving!"

"Arlong, coming here was a mistake," Noppera finally chimed in, "I have suggested we leave several times!"

"Relax, will you?" The sawshark rubbed his thumb on the flintlock, debating whether or not to fire it at the marine commander. "I'll leave this damn place, but only after I give that human runt a painful death and take back what's mine!"

"Nami is _**not**_ yours, you saw-nosed son of a bitch!" Luffy shouted before he had to be pulled back by Nami.

"Luffy, don't try anything to piss him off!" The orange-haired woman quietly scolded, "He'll shoot you as long as these cuffs are on!"

"Then what are you waiting for?!" Luffy replied, lowering his voice.

"Me," Beau-Père murmured, "Ready, miss?"

"Ready," Nami nodded her head, concealing the key in her hand. "Luffy, get ready to kick some ass again...!"

"Bright Blinder!" Silvios' blue bulb shone as bright as possible, blinding Luffy, Nami, and Beau-Père. Because of that, Nami couldn't see, making her unable to unlock Luffy's cuffs.

'Son of a bitch!' The navigator mentally screamed, shielding her eyes with her arm.

"Boys," Arlong ordered, "Don't touch Nami! She'll be in my crew, after all! Be rough with the boy, as long as you don't kill him. As for the commander, kill him if you can."

"Tempest Kick Puma Tail!" Even without being able to see, Beau-Père still attacked, turning his body as his tail sent out a shockwave to the fish-men.

"Sturdy Vertebrae!" Noppera unsheathed his swordstick and held it backhand at an angle, redirecting the attack into the ceiling.

"Luffy, we have to stay back!" Nami kept tugging Luffy's arm, forcing him to comply.

"I know!" The captain walked away, still keeping his eyes shut.

"Get outta the way, human!" Silvios' struck the commander in his face with a powerful kick, yet he didn't flinch or move from the force of it. All Beau-Père did was grab his leg and the back of his jacket, lift him up for a few seconds, and then threw him to the jellyfish merman, who simply sidestepped with his many legs. Silvios hit the bars with his face.

"I can see you have strength and speed to match," Beau-Père observed the anglerfish fish-man, regaining his eyesight. "But you lack discipline, and the techniques mean little if the practitioner is unable to learn from their faults."

"Nami?" Luffy blinked profusely, color coming back to him. "Not to rush you, but now might be a good time to-"

***CLICK!***

"Done!" The turn of the key unlocked Luffy's cuffs, pulled to the ground by gravity.

***CLUNK!***

Luffy could feel his strength return with the cuffs no longer binding him. He clenched his fists, and looked at the fight unfolding in front of him.

"Alright!" He almost cheered, "Nami, stay behind me! You did enough for now!"

"Yeah..." The girl raised her weapon, prepared to defend herself.

"Thousand Brick Fist!" Silvios tried to launch a fist at Beau-Père, almost believing he can knock him down, but he was intercepted by the young pirate captain.

"Gum-Gum Stamp!" He stretched his leg to strike Silvios' face, pushing him back.

"Gum-Gum Hammer!" Next up, Luffy twisted his arms around and grabbed the musclehead's jacket, lifting him up into the air and attempted to slam him on top of Arlong. He missed, however, with Arlong moving out of the way.

"Shark On Darts!" The sawshark fish-man propelled himself at Luffy, intent on gutting him with his sharp nose.

"Gum-Gum Shield!" But Luffy was prepared, stretching his fingers across his face, stopping Arlong's nose from stabbing him in his head.

"That won't work again!" Luffy stated, shoving him by his jaw and kicking him in his gut. He followed with a quick uppercut before jumping away from a sword slash.

"This is nothing but a waste of time..." Noppera mumbled, raising his sword upright. "Yet, if I must..."

"The odds may be even, boy," Arlong holstered his pistol in his pants, knowing it wouldn't do much against Luffy with his rubber body. "But I've gotten stronger since our last encounter."

"I was gonna say the same thing," Luffy replied, "Mainly, I'm stronger than you."

"Really?" Arlong laughed, dashing to swat the human with his claw attachment on his left hand. "Don't get cheeky!"

"Gum-Gum Spear!" Luffy jumped backward and fired his two feet at Arlong's belly, almost getting him to cough.

'I know now Arlong won't be satisfied unless the boy is given a painful death at his hands,' Noppera mused, 'And that the girl is taken along with us. For now, the threat of the commander is the threatening factor.'

"Iron Single Action Gun!" Beau-Père hung one clenched fist above the other, releasing a burst of air around his arms, sending Silvios all the way to the end of the hallway. Colliding with the wall, even cracking it, it would appear it will be a while before he gets up again.

'Perhaps it's a good thing I held back after all...' He thought, 'I'll need most of my strength to battle them.'

"Median Incision!" Noppera swung his sword down, sending a vertical slash towards Luffy, who rolled out of the way.

"Gum-Gum Pistol Shotgun!" Extending his arm and plucking it for an added effect, Luffy's fist bounced all over Noppera's body, yet the man stood his ground.

"Cyclone Tempo!" Nami connected two pieces of her Clima-Tact and chucked them at the jellyfish mercenary's head, making him stumble.

"Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Luffy reeled his arms far behind him before he attacked forward with them, managing to push Noppera back.

"RAH!" Arlong set his sights on Beau-Père, slicing part of his shirt with his claws, failing to gash him.

"You can't defeat me like this!" The commander kicked the convict away from him, letting him fly. Being caught up, he came close to not noticing Noppera stumbling backward behind him. With this, he decided to attack.

"Finger Pistol Single Action!" Putting his index and middle finger together, Beau-Père attempted to blow the merman away, only for him to avoid it.

"Circulation Sting!" One of his leg tentacles wrapped around Beau-Père's left knee and stung it. "Attacking me from behind? I thought you had more honor than that."

"RRAAAAGGGGHHHH!" Beau-Père grunted, feeling the pain as he crumpled from the pain. Unfortunately, he couldn't move his leg after that!

"Your measure of pain may seem indescribable, but it's actually simple," Noppera explained, "In stinging you, I cut off your limb's circulation. Your movement is limited."

"Not entirely!" Beau-Père didn't give up, using a palm to strike back. But Noppera was prepared for him.

"Defibrillation!" He placed his swordstick away for a moment to use his arms on the puma-hybrid, grabbing his front torso and electrocuting him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Beau-Père roared, incapable of resisting the surge in his body. When he fell to the ground, Noppera decided to sting his other knee and elbow joints.

"This will prevent you from moving," Noppera almost hissed, "Such cowardly attacks will reward you with an excruciating loss."

"Good, Noppera!" Arlong praised, "Now get that brat!"

"Arlong, I'm only doing this for my payment," Noppera quietly told, limited in patience. "You're going to make this my efforts pointless if you lose to them!"

"We'll leave, but once we get him in chains!"

"You'll have to kill me to win!" Luffy almost boasted, "I'm a rubber man!"

"My stings allow me to utilize electricity," Noppera pointed out, "Yet by themselves, they can be painful. Even with your fruit, you won't resist."

"You want to find out?" Luffy taunted with his hand, attempting to goad him into rushing him.

"Now that I have taken the cuffs and the key?" One of the mercenary's tendrils held a key as another had its grasp on the Sea-Prism Stone cuffs, "A fool's errand when victory is within reach."

"Thunder Ball!" Nami twirled a rod, unleashing a few electric sparks at the enemy, who dodged or slapped them away with the ends of his hands. "Luffy, we have to go!"

"But Arlong's right here!" Luffy yelled, "I can't let him leave this place! If this is his prison, then beating him here will keep him from escaping!"

"Forget about him!" Nami argued, "Let's just go back to the ship!"

"Shark On Darts!" Arlong suddenly lunged at Luffy like a torpedo, though the young captain leaped over him, right in front of Noppera. In a quick moment, Luffy's strength diminished when the cuffs were reconnected to one of his wrists.

"What the...?!" He emitted, failing to resist his predicament. It didn't take much effort for Noppera to bind his hands behind his back again.

"Killing him would be so easy now!" Arlong smiled, quickly grabbing and lifting Luffy by his neck.

"Let go of him!" Nami ran at Arlong, hoping to do some damage on him, but Noppera flew past her, sheathing his swordstick.

"Silent Nettle Cut!" The two grenade belts that looped around the navigator's body fell from her, seeing as they were perfectly sliced in half. The cut itself was never present on her body, for the mercenary's intention was to deprive her of the 'insurance.'

"You won't be needing these, young lady," Noppera muttered, though everything was a blur to Nami, especially when Silvios knocked her weapon out of her hands, and with what came next.

"1500 Brick Axe Kick!" The anglerfish fish-man raised his left leg up vertically before sending it down on Nami's head, causing her to crash into the stone floor. An x-ray showed the kick's impact did cause a crack in her skull, but not as bad as it could've been, though there was some blood that went down her face's right side. The self-inflicted wound on Nami's forehead reopened, gushing out a small amount of red.

"NAMI!" Luffy cried before he angrily set his sights on Silvios. "YOU BASTARD!"

"Silvios, you moron!" Arlong reprimanded, "She's my navigator! I don't want her dead!"

"I-I'm sorry, sir!" Silvios apologized, slightly raising his hands. "I didn't know what else I could do!"

"No, you're not...!" Luffy seethed.

"She's still alive, even with that blow," Noppera noticed, "There appears to be more to her durability than anticipated."

"Good," The sawshark pirate sternly nodded, "I don't want her dead when she can still be of use." He averted his gaze to the captain, seeing his look of contempt. "Really, killing you would be satisfying. But this isn't the time or place. It won't do if someone interrupts us."

"So, we're finally leaving?" The question stood out, to which Arlong replied...

"Yes. We've spent too much time here."

"Sir," Silvios began to question, "What should we do with the others?"

"We take the girl with us," Arlong answered, hoisting Luffy over his shoulders and grabbing Nami by her waist. "I'll reintroduce her into this crew, but only after I let her see her former captain, one last time before I put him down."

"And the commander?"

"There's nothing he can do to stop me now, but to be safe... Throw him in that cell."

The jellyfish surgeon-turned-mercenary dragged Beau-Père by his shirt and tossed him in, making sure to lock the cell.

"I'll kill you if you hurt them, you bastards!" The commander seethed, still unable to feel his joints and move.

"Arlong, I swear I'll give you what you deserve!" Luffy spat, wiggling in Arlong's grasp.

"Accept it, boy," Arlong hissed as Noppera pressed a button, opening the elevator. "You're going to die here. And you'll never see Nami again. How does that make you feel?"

"I'm not gonna die yet...! I still have a dream to live!"

"An idiot human's false words to encourage idiot humans to die at sea!" Arlong silenced the black-haired boy, "I've heard the stories of Gold Roger. He may have been a famous pirate, but that doesn't make him truthful. The One Piece is just a fairytale, a pipe dream!"

"Shut the hell up, saw-nose!" If Luffy weren't lifted over the fish-man's shoulder or wearing the cuffs, he would've struck back furiously.

"So long, _Commander_ Beau-Père," Arlong sarcastically paid his respects to the marine as he boarded the elevator with Silvios and Noppera, "If we meet again, I'll at least give you a proper death, unlike the one I gave your sister all those years ago.

"You son of a bitch!" Beau-Père thrashed, trying to lift himself up even with immovable limbs. "Don't ever talk about my sister!"

"SHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" While the doors closed, one final shout left the commander's lips, seeing the fish-men escape with their human prizes out the corner of his eye.

"ARLONG~!"

XXX

Meanwhile, outside...

Sanji and William Henley combined their leg strength to knock the entrance doors came off of their hinges, knocking out a small crowd of guards.

"Knock, knock!" Henley chirped, much to the cook's ire.

"Can't you take this seriously?!" He questioned as he kicked four guards to a wall.

"I'll have you know I am," The redhead replied, striking eight men with his four spider legs several times. "I find that making jokes eases the tension a little bit."

"Well, with Nami and Luffy both on the line, I happen to think it's the wrong time to do so!"

"Sanji, right?" Henley started to request, knocking out a few more guards in the process. "I need you to do me a favor and keep these guys busy as much as possible."

"I told you that I won't trust you to handle this!" Sanji went on his hands and kicked the enemies in front of him, "Besides, how do I know you sabotaged the marines?!"

"Aside from the Seven Warlords, have you ever heard of a pirate working together with marines?" Henley raised an eyebrow, "Besides that, I can't be with the marines because of my bounty, which has been higher than yours before you even had one!"

"Okay, look here!" Sanji sent one of his feet into a guard's stomach, sending him to the floor. "You put Luffy through depression with your chemicals! There's also you saying terrible things to Nami days earlier! And with you knowing the commander of this place, you can bet I won't trust you!"

"Well, I'll _officially_ apologize to them both when this is over, alright?! In front of everyone!"

"Not good enough! I've decided I'm going to help Luffy and Nami! There's nothing you can do to stop me!"

"Listen, you've already been through a rough fight, Sanji!" Henley pointed out while shooting cobwebs over a cluster of guards, "You won't have the strength to defend those guys if Beau-Père gets in the way! Besides, you can hold off these punks until you don't need to!"

"Why should I let you go to them anyway?!" The cook queried, kicking some guards in their faces. "And don't use the 'atonement' excuse, we're all trying to help my captain!"

"Strategically, I'm faster than you think! Plus, I still haven't reached my limits yet! If I did, the stitches I got from fighting you guys would be tearing up!"

"Let's say that's true for a second," Sanji toned down his voice, blocking a glaive with a leg. "Are you going to beat the commander or stall him so Luffy and Nami can escape?"

"Stall him, of course!" Henley answered, "I'm risking my life, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go gung ho with the strongest man in the base!"

"And supposedly, that means I have to stay here."

"Hey, I'm trusting you to keep these guys occupied and watch my back."

"I don't agree to this!" Sanji pushed the guard back, taking out a few more with a flurry of kicks.

"But you're doing well, even with your injuries," Henley reeled his spider legs back and took out a large guard with a single hit to his chest, which sent him colliding into twenty other guards behind him. "Comb-foot Battering Ram!"

The blonde-haired pirate took a few seconds to think about his ally's statements, all the while taking down man after man. He was already in a rough battle, but he's been making short work of the guards so far. If they are this weak, then he shouldn't have to worry about the commander, but he wasn't concerned about fighting him, just hold him off. Also, is it really a good idea to leave the lives of his friends in the hands of some stranger he doesn't even know?

His plan to rescue Luffy is complicated, but this wasn't the first time the crew had to adapt. There was also the fact the crew got help from people they didn't know, and those people would become members of the crew, while others would be good friends. But will this trust pay off?

'I wanted to be the one to help Luffy when this plan was made,' Sanji thought, leaping over a guard's sword before slamming his heel into the man's shoulder. 'But Nami was chosen for the sake of the plan's success. And so far, things are working out... Doesn't mean things can't go wrong, though.'

After taking down a man, Sanji reached his decision, hopping again and standing back-to-back with Henley.

"If you're going to ensure Nami saved Luffy," He told, "Then go now!"

"You mean it?" Henley looked behind him, seeing the cook's serious expression.

"You have a lot of stones for trying to make up what you've done. Let me worry about these guys. Go!"

"T-Thanks!" Henley slightly stuttered, grinning. In succession, he jumped high with his extra legs, skipping along in the air. "I'll be back!"

"Don't come back without those two!" Sanji shouted, planting his feet into two guards with a backflip.

Evading shots and stabs via zigzagging above the guards in the air, Henley headed down the halls, finding an elevator shaft to use. He proceeded to open the doors, seeing an elevator lowering below him.

"Moonwalk!" The redhead jumped higher and higher with his legs giving him more momentum, counting the floors with the doors in the shaft. When he arrived on the ninth floor, he decided to break the doors with his spider legs.

"Comb-foot Battering Ram!" He recoiled and thrust them forward, tearing open the doors.

"What the...?!" Beau-Père heard the commotion while Henley landed on the floor.

"Okay, commander!" Henley stood up defiantly, though he immediately deflated when he saw the halls were empty. "What? Where's the captain and Nami?"

"Henley!" Beau-Père called out, still in pain from the stings.

"Commander Beau-Père!" Henley ran to the cell, stopping short of the bars. "What happened to you?!"

"T-They took them both...!"

"They?!" The young man observed his mentor's state, finding it to be familiar. "Were you stung?!"

"Y-Yes... By a jellyfish merman...!"

"Noppera Spark..." Henley averted his eyes as an image of Noppera flashed in his mind, with blue lightning striking in the background. The merman held his sword as small sparks danced around the shining blade.

'Also known as the Contract Dissector,' He remembered, 'With a bounty of 147 million and 800 thousand berries, Noppera is notable for being a former member of the Sun Pirates, now serving as a mercenary for hire. Whatever the job, he'll always do it, even if it means blood must shed.'

"You know him?" The commander's speculation drove Henley back to reality.

"We've had a few encounters in the past..." He answered, "Mainly he tried to kill me. I couldn't beat him at all, except for the lackeys that follow him around."

"So there's more than one?"

"Two other fish-men, yes," What came to Henley's mind were other images, one of Silvios and the other being Neko Beckett. "Silvios and Neko Beckett, pirates with no known bounty or history of violence. They can be pushovers for me if I fight hard enough."

"How do you know any of this?"

"It's a long story, but that's not important now! They took Luffy and Nami, right?!"

"Yes," Beau-Père confirmed, "And they broke out a criminal called Arlong."

"Wait, what?!" Henley yelled, blinking in disbelief. "_**Arlong's**_ here?! **And** he took those two?!"

"That's right, and it's likely he'll kill the boy and do worse to Nami."

"You didn't think to tell me that one of Luffy's first enemies could be here?!" The redhead exclaimed, rapidly tapping his foot.

"It wouldn't have mattered to you either way! You don't know him!"

"What do you mean by that?!"

"He killed my sister," The commander snarled, "And he made her daughters' lives hell."

"Wait, then that means..." The hybrid soon pieced it all together, Luffy's voiced dislike for Arlong when he interacted with him the second time, Beau-Père's relation to his sister, Belle-Mère, and when Zoro shouted Nami should've been left with Arlong...

'Wait, when did that green-haired guy say that?!' Henley facepalmed, 'Oh dammit, it was obvious! I knew Arlong said he intended to go to the East Blue all those years ago... How did I _not_ make that connection before?!'

"Henley?"

"Commander..." Henley shook his head, forgetting about how he could live this down. "I actually _did_ meet that guy before."

"Really?" The commander questioned incredulously, "I find that hard to believe."

"Tall fish-man, saw-like nose, sharp teeth, black hair, light blue skin, angled jaw..."

"Y-You really have met him before...?" Beau-Père was a little surprised to hear Henley casually list his traits from memory, but even more shocked to hear what came next.

"He wanted me in his crew once. Even though I was part human and eight at the time."

"Oh my... You didn't actually want to, did you?"

"The only time I begged to join him..." Henley shivered, wanting to block out the images of the past. "Was when I was being hunted down after my father was killed... But it wasn't because I was prejudiced against humans! I... I was scared, then Arlong shouted he would let me join if I renounced my humanity."

"But you couldn't do it...?"

"I _didn't_ do it," Henley corrected, "I was taught by my father to never be prejudiced against others for their race or skin. So, I refused. ...Arlong shot me in the shoulder and left me for dead..."

"God..." Beau-Père could almost feel the weighted anxiety from his former student when he looked away from the cell.

"Well, enough of that," The hybrid snapped out of it, "Break out of there, and let's go get them!"

"I-I can't do that," Beau-Père mused, getting over the sudden information. "The stone walls here have a layer of Sea-Prism Stone embedded in the middle, just in case a Devil Fruit user manages to break free of his cuffs. After all, they can't escape with the cell bars made of the same substance."

"Oh, duh! I can get you the keys to the cell!"

"There's no time! You have to go and save them instead! The girl's weapon is right there with a key to the boy's cuffs!"

Beau-Père's arm twitched, barely pointing in the direction of the Clima-Tact, which the redheaded young man grabbed it along with the key.

"Arlong didn't take that weapon or the key?" He questioned aloud, "Wow, being cooped in this place must've made his mind numb."

"Not quite," The commander shook his head, "It's Nami's weapon and the villains want her to be far apart from it as possible. Besides that, Arlong wanted me to put him in the Box, just so he could be in the perfect position to escape."

"You can't be serious! Arlong may have been a dangerous pirate, but he isn't _that_ smart!"

"Then someone else made the plan work out in his favor."

"Well, not important! I gotta go!" Henley shoved the key in his pocket and put the Clima-Tact in his jacket, beginning to run for the open elevator doors. "Your stings will wear off soon! I'll make sure someone comes to get you out!"

"Be careful, Henley!" Beau-Père yelled as Henley prepared to jump, "Arlong has been attempting to break out ever since his capture! He's stronger than he let on when I halted his efforts!"

With a thumbs-up and a smile, Henley made his exit.

'I don't know how I'm can explain this to the pirates,' Henley realized, crawling halfway down the elevator shaft with his spider legs. 'They won't budge if I tell them the captain's out... Unless I say he and Nami aren't in the base anymore.'

He arrived at the doors of the first floor and opened them up with his bare hands, touching the solid ground again.

'It's vague, but they'll have no choice but to work off of that. It's all for nothing if the captain dies, and these guys can't do anything else here.'

A few guards saw Henley in the halls, but they were easily swatted aside by the hybrid's legs. When he got to the prison cafeteria, he saw Sanji kicking ass and taking names.

"Attention, all low-paid mooks!" Henley called out, getting some eyes trained on him. "Your commander of this base had an unfortunate incident upstairs, and he's locked in a cell! I advise you to go check and bring some keys! Don't bother fretting over the prisoner up there, 'cause he's gone!"

"Henley!" Sanji began to query, kicking a few guards aside. "Where's Luffy and Nami?"

"They're not in the prison anymore! You need to get back to the ship!"

"What?!" The cook shouted, "What do you mean, 'they're not in the prison anymore?!' What's that supposed to mean?"

"Hold on," Henley raised a hand, motioning him to wait. He lifted a guard by his shirt with an arm, and creepily opened his extra eyes in front of him.

"W-What the hell-?!" The guard looked like he was going to soil himself, and likely did when Henley interrupted him and whispered in his ear...

"Your commander is in a cell on the ninth floor, and he could use a little help. Pass the word, if you don't want to be robbed of certain... physical family heirlooms."

"W-What..." He stupidly questioned, sweating nervously.

"I'll castrate you if you don't help your commander!" Henley bellowed in his face, "With a rusty cutlass, if I can find one! Now go!"

He threw the guard down, and he proceeded to run far away from the action.

"At this point," The hybrid thought aloud, countering attempts to stab him with knocking guards away with his extra legs. "He might want to go home, eat some ice cream, and forget about this whole mess. If I weren't fearless or in the middle of something, I'd do that. Wouldn't you, cook?"

"Cut the crap, runt!" Sanji yelled, "Are Luffy and Nami coming out of here, or what?!"

"They're not here anymore! You and the other pirates can't do anything else here! We have to leave!"

"But why are they out?! We never saw them exit!"

"No time to explain! Just get your crew out and get ready to leave! I'll find them!"

"You can't expect me to just-!" Sanji couldn't finish his sentence on account of Henley already running out the doors.

'That little...' He growled, leaving the detention center as well. When he got outside, he could see Henley leaping through the air with his extra spider legs over the barrier.

***KABOOM!***

"What the hell?!" Sanji looked to the dome of the base, seeing thick black smoke rising from the ground next to the building. He almost considered investigating, but there were more important things. Such as telling the other members to leave.

"Two Sword Style: Hawk Wave!" Zoro brought down several marines with a gust of wind while standing. He and the other two pirates were defending the bridge from clusters of soldiers.

"Clutch!" Robin broke the backs of a few more foes as she stood behind Franky for defense.

"Weapons Left!" The carpenter fired a set of cannonballs from his left arm, keeping a large battalion from getting closer to them.

"Guys!" Sanji called out, running to them. "We have to go!"

"Does that mean Luffy's out?!" Zoro questioned, giving the cook a quick glimpse.

"No, he and Nami aren't in the base anymore!"

"What?!" Franky looked back, shocked. "But we would've known!"

"Henley says he'll find them, but I'm still not sure we can trust him!"

"We didn't have much of a choice but to do so when Luffy was taken," Robin pointed out, "We'll have to continue trusting him."

"Whatever's going on, that runt better do something!" Zoro snarled, sending out his 72 Caliber Phoenix attack to some marines. "It's not just Luffy's life that's at stake, it's his! If he blows this...!"

"Forget about that, bro!" Franky took some bullets to his torso, "Let's get outta here!"

The remaining Straw Hats did just that, taking off like bats out of hell. They ran to the general left of the base, evading bullets and bazooka blasts as they went on the move.

XXX

On the other side of the base, six figures shot out from the moat surrounding the base's stronghold. Four of them were fish-men, while the two humans were held by Arlong.

"Sha-Ha-Ha-Ha!" He laughed, "Perfect! All that's left is for me to slowly kill this boy and get my revenge!"

"L-Like hell..." Nami coughed, "I-I'll let you get away with this...!"

"You can't do anything but watch, my little cheeky kitten," Arlong sneered, "Even though you left me for him, I forgive you. Of course, now that you're back in my crew, you'll have to redo _all_ the maps I lost because of him..."

"Never...!" The navigator hissed, showing her teeth. "I'll never help you again!"

"Yeah, tell him, Nami!" Luffy shouted before he was dropped to the grass. There, Arlong moved his foot above Luffy's neck, applying pressure to choke him! "GUUHH!"

"Shut up, human!" The saw-nosed pirate commanded.

"Luffy!" Nami tried to struggle to get loose, to no avail. Her arms were held by Arlong's own right arm, and he enjoyed witnessing her attempts.

"You know," He had a thought, "You'll _have_ to do as I say from now on."

"If you don't mind my curiosity, sir," Beckett spoke up, "How are you going to force her to work with you?"

"Simple," The sawshark grinned deviously as he moved off of the captain, letting Silvios lift and restrain him. "Boys, we're going to be claiming the 'Straw Hat' Pirates' ship as our own. Soon after, we'll force the crew to watch as I kill the captain...!"

He eyed Nami as she growled, frustrated with herself for being helpless.

"And if you don't want the rest of them to die with your sister and home, you'll do _exactly_ as I say...!"

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

CHAPTERS REMAINING: 8


End file.
